Iran EFP's surge in new year in Iraq

CNN:

Attacks against U.S. troops in Iraq with bombs believed linked to Iran -- known as explosively formed penetrators (EFPs) -- have risen sharply in January after several months of decline, according to the top U.S. commander in Iraq.

Iraqi and U.S. officials indicated just a month ago that Iran was using its influence to improve security in Iraq by restraining cross-border weapons flow and militia activity. The U.S. military had said in recent months that the number of EFP attacks had gone down.

Gen. David Petraeus disclosed the reversal to reporters after a meeting with President Bush who was visiting troops in Kuwait.

"In this year, EFPs have gone up, actually, over the last 10 days by a factor of two or three, and frankly we're trying to determine why that might be," Petraeus said.

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These attacks coincide with Iran fast boats simulating attacks on US ships in the Straights of Hormuz, and a missile attack from Lebanon into Israel by Iranian proxy forces. It appears that Iran has decided to step up anti American activity. The NY Times reports that the Iranian maneuvers simulated a "war game in which small, agile speedboats swarmed a naval convoy to inflict devastating damage on more powerful warships."

This suggest the US should never allow these boats to approach its fleet. We should be prepared to destroy these boats as soon as they come out.

These aggressive moves by Iran suggest that the since the recent NIE Iran is more reckless and confrontational.