Iran Plans to Damage and Block Repair of Undersea Cables

Iran has developed plans to damage undersea communication cables in the Persian Gulf and prevent their repair, according to two senior Iranian security officials cited in a Reuters report. These plans are reportedly intended as a response to a potential renewed US-Israeli attack, though the officials did not disclose specific methods or locations.

Adding to the threat, Yadollah Javani, a senior official in the Revolutionary Guards, publicly warned that Iran would target seven major internet cables under the Strait of Hormuz if Iran's national infrastructure were attacked. Undersea cables transmit over 99% of international data traffic, and damage to them could disrupt internet access, cloud services, financial transfers, and operations for companies and governments.

However, data from the research firm TeleGeography suggests that less than 1% of international bandwidth passes through the Strait of Hormuz, indicating that the actual impact might be less severe than the threat implies. The primary risk is to connectivity within the Persian Gulf region. Countries like Bahrain, Qatar, and Kuwait have alternative landline connections to Saudi Arabia, but these may not be sufficient to handle diverted traffic if multiple cables are damaged simultaneously.

While Iran's threat extends to data centers and AI facilities in the Gulf, Israel's internet connectivity relies on cables in the Mediterranean Sea, such as BINA International's JONAH cable connecting Israel to Italy. This route does not pass through Hormuz, so an attack there is unlikely to disconnect Israel entirely, though it could still cause disruptions.

Undersea cables experience around 150 to 200 accidental faults annually, mostly from fishing and ship anchors. While intentional sabotage is a risk, it is not the primary cause of damage. Communication networks are designed with redundancy, but simultaneous damage to multiple cables reduces backup options. Satellite communication is not a full substitute due to lower capacity and higher cost compared to cables.

The challenge of repair is significant, especially in a conflict zone. Repair ships require permits and are vulnerable to attack while working. A precedent exists from 2024 when the repair of three damaged cables in the Red Sea took six months, highlighting how an attack, even if brief, could lead to prolonged communication disruptions.