Tehran signals readiness to strike critical communications infrastructure beneath the Strait of Hormuz as tensions with the US and Israel remain high.
Iranian security officials have told international media that Tehran has prepared detailed plans to attack undersea communications cables in the Gulf should the United States and Israel launch renewed military strikes against the Islamic Republic. The warnings, reported by Reuters on 23 October, come amid fragile diplomacy and repeated Iranian statements that digital infrastructure could become a legitimate target in any escalation.
Two senior Iranian security officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the plans were drawn up in response to the possibility of further attacks. They provided few operational details and did not specify exact methods or locations. One official, however, indicated that Iran would seek to prevent repairs after any strikes in order to prolong disruptions to internet and other communications services.
Iran Warns of Undersea Cable Strikes if Attacked:
“If Iran is attacked, there will be no more red lines … from undersea cables to military bases, including covert ones,” one of the officials said, according to the report. The same official warned Washington against “playing with fire” and claimed Iran has full access to the cables and the ability to destroy them
Yadollah Javani, deputy head of political affairs for the IRGC, said earlier this week that Iran could target seven major internet cables running beneath the Strait of Hormuz if Iranian infrastructure came under attack. The narrow waterway, which separates Iran from Oman and links the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and Arabian Sea, is already a critical chokepoint for global energy supplies.
Undersea cables carry approximately 99 percent of the world’s internet traffic, according to the International Telecommunication Union. Analysts note, however, that the global impact of damage limited to the Strait of Hormuz would likely be constrained. Research firm TeleGeography has estimated that less than 1 percent of international bandwidth passes through the strait. Regional effects could still be significant, potentially disrupting internet access, financial transactions, e-commerce and cloud services across Gulf states.
Iran Expands Threats to US-Linked Digital Infrastructure:
The latest warnings form part of a broader Iranian messaging campaign. Mohsen Rezaei, a senior security official, has previously stated that US-linked digital infrastructure in the Gulf-including data centres and artificial intelligence facilities-could be targeted if hostilities resume. Iranian hardline media and officials have framed such actions as a legitimate response to any renewed assault on Iranian territory or interests.
Gulf states, many of which host substantial American military presence and have invested heavily in digital infrastructure as part of economic diversification plans, find themselves in a delicate position. Damage to undersea cables or related facilities could affect not only commercial and civilian communications but also military and banking systems across the region, including in countries such as Iraq that rely on Gulf connectivity.
The reported plans reflect a shift in Iranian strategic thinking after earlier rounds of conflict. Tehran has indicated that any new US or Israeli campaign would be met with a stronger and wider response than before, expanding the list of potential targets beyond traditional military sites. Officials have also linked the threats to diplomatic efforts, suggesting that collapse of talks with Washington could remove previous restraints.
As diplomacy continues amid uncertainty over possible further strikes, the warnings highlight how digital chokepoints have joined energy routes as potential flashpoints in the long-running confrontation between Iran, the United States and Israel.