Rather than seeking a ​decisive military victory, Tehran is pursuing a strategy of calibrated escalation aimed at widening the conflict without triggering full-scale war. The goal, they say, is to convince the United States and its allies that ‌containing the crisis is more costly than accommodating Iran's demands over the Strait of Hormuz. Iran's approach reflects what one Gulf source described as a belief among Revolutionary Guards commanders that "they can get more". "The Iranians...believe that by widening the war and increasing the pressure, he will eventually give in," the Gulf source said. By demonstrating it can broaden the crisis when necessary, Tehran hopes to shape the terms of any eventual negotiations.