WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States launched a cyberattack that destroyed an Iranian database used to plan attacks on oil tankers in the Gulf, The New York Times reported on Monday, citing US officials.

Officials said the US military attack on June 20 targeted military communications networks, weakening Iran's ability to strike tankers in the Gulf.

According to unnamed officials, Iran is still trying to recover information destroyed in the attack and restart some computer systems, including some military communications networks that have been disrupted by the attack.

Carefully calculated
The attack comes in the context of the ongoing and undeclared cyber conflict between the United States and Iran, a carefully calculated conflict that is intended to remain in a gray area between war and peace, according to the newspaper.

The former US intelligence official, Norman Roll, believes that the purpose of the US cyber attacks is to change Iran's behavior, without being drawn into a wider conflict with it or getting it to respond, likening them to covert operations because public recognition is rare.

These operations are intended to convey a message to the Iranians that their power remains limited in return for the enormous US capabilities, and that it is better for them to stop operations that arouse US discontent, Rowle said.

Strong response
The newspaper pointed out that the electronic strikes are not considered a deterrent force to prevent the attacks of the opponent as in the case of conventional military strikes, as it is difficult to determine who is responsible, and often refrain from the parties to recognize the occurrence, and yet it is a strong response translates the ability of the United States to respond to attacks and hostilities that Your target.

The Pentagon's cyber operations command has increased during President Donald Trump's reign thanks to new congressional powers and an executive order that gives the Pentagon more room to plan and carry out strikes, she said.

According to the newspaper, the White House considers the attack against the Iranian database used to plan oil tanker strikes an appropriate response to Iran's downing of a US drone in June.