Iran is escalating its confrontation with the United States by attempting to directly target American warships, including an aircraft carrier, The Wall Street Journal reports.

Iranian officials reportedly believe that both a successful strike and a harsh American response could serve Tehran’s interests.

Iranian forces launched missiles toward U.S. warships at least three times over the past week. Some of the missiles reportedly featured maneuverable warheads, allowing them to come closer to their targets than in previous attempts.

U.S. Central Command said the warships evaded the attacks and were not hit. However, American officials are concerned that Iran may have improved its ability to threaten U.S. vessels, possibly with assistance from Russia or China.

The escalation comes as Iran faces growing economic pressure. Nineteen U.S. Navy ships are enforcing a naval blockade that has severely restricted Iran’s oil exports. According to Kpler data cited by the Journal, not a single barrel of Iranian crude oil has passed through the blockade since it was renewed in mid-July.

Iran’s currency is collapsing, annual inflation has exceeded 80 percent, and the International Monetary Fund projects that the Iranian economy will shrink by 5.4 percent this year—the country’s worst figure since the 1980s.

“Iran is escalating because it does not see any other options,” said Mark Seivers, a former U.S. ambassador to Oman.

Tehran is not seeking to match America’s military power. Instead, analysts say Iran is trying to make the blockade costly and dangerous enough that Washington can no longer continue enforcing it without consequences.

A strike on an American warship could cause casualties, shake financial markets and trigger a major U.S. response. If President Donald Trump chooses not to respond forcefully, Iran could portray that decision as a sign of American weakness ahead of the U.S. midterm elections.

“In either case, Iran sees an advantage,” said Alice Gower, a partner at a London political risk consultancy.

The conflict has also begun affecting commercial shipping. Recent reports indicated that commercial vessels were hit in the Gulf and Gulf of Oman, while traffic through the Strait of Hormuz dropped to just seven ships Wednesday, compared to an average of 14 over the previous 10 days.

Former U.S. military officials believe Iran will have difficulty breaking the blockade through such attacks, since the U.S. Navy can move its ships farther from the Iranian coast while continuing enforcement operations.

The Strait of Hormuz remains Iran’s primary source of leverage. By threatening warships and oil traffic, Tehran can attempt to impose a cost on the United States and Gulf states while preserving a major bargaining chip for future negotiations.

“Hormuz is the immediate concern and the main battlefield, but it is also the biggest leverage Tehran has,” Gower said. “It will not give it up easily. It is the crown jewel.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)