Iran Plans Gulf Undersea Cable Attacks If War Resumes — SkimNews
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- Iran has drawn up detailed plans to target undersea communications cables in the Gulf if the U.S. or Israel launches an attack, according to two senior Iranian security officials.
- Yadollah Javani, deputy head of political affairs for Iran's Revolutionary Guards, warned that Iran could target seven major internet cables beneath the Strait of Hormuz if Iranian infrastructure is struck.
- Iranian security officials stated that Tehran would aim to prevent repairs after any cable attacks to prolong disruptions to internet and communications services.
- Alan Mauldin, research director at TeleGeography, noted that less than 1% of international bandwidth passes through the Strait of Hormuz, limiting the global impact of such attacks.
- Alex Vatanka, director of the Iran program at the Middle East Institute, said Iran's threats are intended to deter conflict by pressuring Gulf governments and U.S. corporations to challenge Trump administration policies.
- Microsoft plans to invest over $400 million in subsea and terrestrial connectivity across the Middle East by 2030 to improve digital resilience amid rising regional threats.
Why it matters: Iran’s credible threat to sever undersea cables raises the cost of conflict for Gulf states and U.S. tech firms investing heavily in regional infrastructure, with Microsoft’s $400 million commitment underscoring the material stakes in maintaining connectivity during geopolitical escalation.
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