Iran warns of Gulf undersea cable attacks if war resumes
Iran has threatened Gulf undersea cables if war resumes, while the Strait of Hormuz carries less than 1% of global international bandwidth.
- Iranian security officials have warned they will attack undersea communication cables in the Gulf if the country is attacked by the US or Israel.
- The specific targets mentioned include seven internet cables beneath the Strait of Hormuz, as well as US-linked data centers and AI facilities in the Gulf.
- Iran has also threatened to obstruct any attempts to repair damaged cables, which would be difficult and dangerous in a conflict zone, prolonging any disruption.
Iran has detailed plans to attack undersea communications cables in the Gulf if the US and Israel strike again, Reuters reported on October 23, 2026, citing two senior Iranian security officials.
The Iranian officials spoke anonymously to Reuters and withheld attack details. One threatened to obstruct repairs, warning there would be “no more red lines” if Iran were attacked.
Reuters received no response from Iran’s Foreign Ministry or the US State Department, while Gulf governments offered no immediate comment.
Iranian warnings cover cables and data centres
Brig Gen Yadollah Javani, the political deputy of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, separately warned on October 21 that seven internet cables beneath the Strait of Hormuz could be targeted if Iranian infrastructure came under attack. Mehr news agency reported his remarks from an interview with Al-Alam television.
Iranian security official Mohsen Rezaei has also warned that Gulf data centres and artificial intelligence facilities linked to the US could be targeted if fighting resumes. Iran’s Islamic Republic News Agency reported his remarks earlier in October.
Gulf disruption would depend on alternative connections
Submarine cables carry more than 99% of international internet traffic worldwide, according to the International Telecommunication Union. The networks support services including financial transactions and cloud computing.
The Strait of Hormuz accounts for less than 1% of global international bandwidth, according to the International Cable Protection Committee, citing research firm TeleGeography. The committee describes the main connectivity risk associated with cable damage in the strait as regional.
An analysis by TeleGeography research director Alan Mauldin indicates that the severity of disruption would depend on operators’ access to other undersea cables and land routes. Gulf countries have alternative connections, but land networks may lack sufficient capacity to carry all traffic displaced by damage to submarine cables.
TeleGeography also highlights the difficulty of repairing cables during conflict. Maintenance ships require permits to enter waters where faults have occurred and must remain stationary during repairs, leaving the vessels vulnerable in hostile areas.
Data centre damage highlights infrastructure exposure
Amazon Web Services reported in March that drone strikes had directly hit two facilities in the United Arab Emirates, while a strike near a facility in Bahrain caused physical damage.
Microsoft has announced plans to invest more than US$400 million in undersea and land connections in the Middle East by 2030. The company outlined the spending in September as part of efforts to expand network capacity and strengthen regional data flows.
Microsoft’s connectivity strategy emphasises multiple routes so that traffic can be redirected around disruptions, helping maintain services when individual connections are affected.
