Israel Faces Growing Threats to Undersea Fiber Optic Cables Amid Regional Tensions

As regional conflicts intensify between Israel and Iran, and potentially Turkey, threats to undersea fiber optic cables have become a critical concern. These cables are vital for Israel's economy, especially its high-tech export sector, which accounted for 33%-38% of total exports and 60%-70% of service exports in 2025, valued at around $169 billion. Disruptions to these cables could severely impact Israel's digital connectivity and economic survival.

In early 2024, four major undersea communication cables, including EIG and SEACOM, were damaged, causing significant internet disruptions in regions like India, Pakistan, and the Gulf states. While initial investigations by the International Cable Protection Committee (ICPC) found no evidence of sabotage, Western intelligence agencies suspect Yemen's Houthi rebels, backed by Iran, of intentional attacks. The ongoing conflict in the Red Sea complicates repair efforts, prompting the US and Europe to deploy naval forces to secure maritime routes and communication infrastructure.

Israel has responded by launching a new undersea cable project worth approximately 500 million shekels, aiming to enhance connectivity between Europe and Asia through Israel. The country is also encouraged to diversify its data infrastructure by expanding Israeli server farms abroad, preferably in friendly nations, to provide backup in emergencies. Additionally, Israel should pursue alternative cable landing points in the Mediterranean, collaborating with allies like Cyprus and Greece, and consider a terrestrial cable route through Jordan to reduce reliance on vulnerable maritime corridors.

Modern threats include underwater drones, submarines, and commercial ships dragging anchors that can damage cables covertly. Satellite communication, such as Starlink, cannot replace the massive bandwidth needs of Israel's economy. Therefore, Israel must develop a resilient network architecture that can instantly reroute data traffic and pre-position high-capacity satellite terminals for critical government and security functions.

To protect these assets, Israel should employ advanced sonar, autonomous underwater drones, and intelligence cooperation to monitor suspicious maritime activities near its economic waters. Its fleet of six submarines, with more on order, can detect and track potential sabotage attempts, though continuous coverage over thousands of kilometers remains challenging. Combining submarine capabilities with distributed acoustic sensing technology embedded in the cables themselves can provide early warnings of tampering.

Ultimately, deliberate disruption of undersea cables is viewed as economic warfare, necessitating clear military deterrence against state and non-state actors. Israel's digital lifeline is deeply connected to the US, the global hub of advanced technology and data communications, underscoring the strategic importance of securing these undersea networks amid escalating regional hostilities.