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Iran is using new tactics to target vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, with at least five incidents involving commercial ships reported in the past 48 hours, according to maritime security sources.
Mariyam Adheela
Tehran: Iran is changing its tactics to target ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, as attacks on commercial vessels increase and tensions continue to threaten a key route for global energy supplies.
Two senior Iranian officials told Reuters on Wednesday that Tehran had introduced different methods of targeting vessels it considers to be violating its restrictions on passage through the strait. The officials said the changes were intended to sustain high oil prices and influence the upcoming United States midterm elections.
The officials said Iran had begun using new offensive tactics around 10 days ago, changing both the type and frequency of attacks. Maritime security sources reported at least five incidents involving tankers and other commercial vessels in the area over the past 48 hours, including drone strikes.
A US military official told Reuters that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had begun using unarmed observers in small boats to identify potential targets after US strikes damaged much of Iran’s radar capability.
The official said US forces had recently confronted a vessel suspected of being used by Iranian spotters and destroyed it after its occupants were told to abandon ship. No casualties were reported in that incident.
The Strait of Hormuz is a major international shipping route through which about one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas trade passed before the conflict. Restrictions and attacks have sharply reduced maritime traffic and contributed to pressure on energy markets.
Iran has also indicated that its operations could extend beyond the strait into the Gulf of Oman and surrounding waters, raising concerns about the safety of vessels operating across a wider area.
The United States has continued its naval blockade of Iranian ports and expanded sanctions as it seeks to pressure Tehran into an agreement to end the conflict. The US military and Iran’s Foreign Ministry had not immediately responded to Reuters’ requests for comment on the latest developments.
