Iran is deploying new tactics to target ships sailing through the Strait of Hormuz, as it seeks to keep oil prices high and thus influence the U.S. midterm elections, Reuters reported on Wednesday, citing two unnamed senior Iranian officials as their sources. The two officials declined to provide details of the new strategy, but one said that Iran had started using different offensive tactics against vessels it considered in violation of its restrictions about 10 days ago. He stated that this had led to an increase in attacks on such ships. “The aim is to frustrate efforts by the United States and its allies to bring down global oil prices,” one of the two officials said.

A U.S. military official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that Iran had changed tactics in one significant way. After the U.S. destroyed much of Iran’s radar capabilities, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) had started using unarmed spotters in small boats to identify potential targets, including U.S. naval vessels, the official said.

The Iranians are also using drones. Last Sunday, the IRGC Navy posted a video of what it said was a tanker hitting a naval mine in the Strait of Hormuz. A drone flying overhead apparently captured the explosion, just as it happened. Reuters added that there have been at least five incidents in the previous 48 hours involving tankers and other commercial ships around the Hormuz area, including drone strikes, according to data analysis from maritime security sources, and incidents reported to United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO).