Iran Threatens to Sever Gulf Internet Cables Amid US-Israel Tensions

Two senior Iranian security officials have informed Reuters that Tehran has developed detailed plans to target maritime communication cables in the Persian Gulf region should Iran face new attacks from the United States and Israel. These statements follow earlier warnings from Iranian officials that regional undersea cables could become targets in any renewed conflict, particularly if diplomatic efforts with Washington fail. The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, did not provide extensive details on the methods or precise locations for such attacks. However, one official indicated that Iran would aim to obstruct repair operations following any attack, thereby prolonging communication disruptions, including internet services. "If Iran is attacked, there will be no red lines left, from undersea cables to military bases, including secret ones," the official stated, warning Washington against "playing with fire" and asserting Iran's capability to easily access and destroy these cables. Yadollah Javani, Deputy Head of Political Affairs in Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), stated on Wednesday that Iran might target seven major internet cables passing through the Strait of Hormuz if Iranian infrastructure is attacked. According to the International Telecommunication Union, undersea cables carry approximately 99% of global internet traffic. However, Alan Mauldin, Research Director at TeleGeography, suggests the global impact might be limited, as less than 1% of international bandwidth capacity transits the Strait of Hormuz. Neither the US State Department nor the Iranian Foreign Ministry responded to Reuters' requests for comment, and Gulf states have not issued immediate statements. These plans to potentially target undersea cables reflect a conviction within Iranian leadership to respond more forcefully than before to any new US military campaign. Senior security official Mohsen Rezaei had previously warned this month that digital infrastructure linked to the US in the Gulf, including data centers and AI facilities, could be targeted in a new conflict. The second Iranian security official noted that Washington's allies in the Gulf have heavily invested in such infrastructure and should therefore hold Washington, not Tehran, responsible for any damage to undersea cables. Alex Vatanka, Director of the Iran Program at the Middle East Institute in Washington, believes these threats aim to deter renewed conflict and pressure Washington by raising concerns among Gulf governments and US companies about their investments. Vatanka added that Tehran seeks to compel Gulf nations and corporate executives to pressure President Trump regarding the risks his policies pose to their investment plans. Analysts suggest that cutting cables at multiple points could slow internet services and disrupt financial transactions, e-commerce, and cloud computing. Mauldin explained that the extent of the impact would depend on how operators reroute data traffic and the availability of alternative pathways. Experts note that restoring communications during wartime would be extremely difficult, with high insurance costs and delays in obtaining permits for territorial waters further complicating repairs. The Red Sea could be a more significant target than the Strait of Hormuz, especially with potential support from Iran's Houthi allies in Yemen, though Tehran has made no public statement about targeting cables there. Mauldin clarified that the Red Sea is a major data transit route between Europe, East Africa, and Asia, with capacity through it accounting for about 3% of global international demand and roughly 10% of inter-regional data traffic. Gulf governments are heavily investing in technology to diversify their economies beyond oil and become global AI hubs, strengthening ties with US tech firms. In March, Iranian strikes directly hit two Amazon Web Services facilities in the UAE, and infrastructure near a facility in Bahrain was also damaged. During peak escalation in March, the IRGC designated US tech companies like Microsoft, Google, Apple, and Nvidia as legitimate targets. Terrestrial communications can offer alternative internet routes, leading Gulf states and US tech companies to invest in additional infrastructure to enhance network resilience.