DUBAI: Iran has reportedly prepared plans to target critical underwater communications cables in the Gulf if the United States and Israel launch another military offensive against Tehran, raising concerns about the vulnerability of regional digital infrastructure amid continuing geopolitical tensions.
According to Reuters, two senior Iranian security officials disclosed that Tehran had developed contingency plans for attacks on submarine communication networks as part of a broader strategy to respond to renewed military action.
The warnings come as diplomatic efforts to prevent another confrontation between Iran and the United States continue, with Iranian officials signalling that a breakdown in negotiations could trigger retaliation extending beyond conventional military targets.
The two officials, who requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter, did not provide specific operational details or identify the precise locations of potential attacks.
However, one official indicated that Iran would seek to prevent damaged cables from being repaired, potentially extending disruptions to internet connectivity and other essential communications services across the region.
The official warned that Iran would no longer observe previous limitations on its response if attacked, suggesting that targets could include underwater communication networks and military installations, including undisclosed facilities.
He also cautioned Washington against further military escalation, claiming that Iran possessed the capability to access and destroy submarine cables in the Gulf.
Iran Identifies Strait of Hormuz as Potential Digital Target
The warnings followed remarks by Yadollah Javani, deputy head of political affairs for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, who said on Wednesday that Tehran could target seven major internet cables running beneath the Strait of Hormuz if Iranian infrastructure came under attack.
The Strait of Hormuz, which separates Iran and Oman, connects the Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. It is widely recognised as a critical passage for international energy transportation, but its importance also extends to regional telecommunications infrastructure.
Underwater fibre-optic cables form the backbone of international digital connectivity, transmitting vast quantities of information between countries and continents.
According to the International Telecommunication Union, a United Nations agency, submarine cables carry approximately 99 percent of global internet traffic.
Nevertheless, telecommunications specialists suggest that the consequences of attacks in the Strait of Hormuz would likely be concentrated in the surrounding region rather than producing a worldwide internet disruption.
Alan Mauldin, research director at telecommunications research firm TeleGeography, said less than one percent of international telecommunications bandwidth passes through the strait.
This relatively small share suggests that while attacks could seriously affect certain Gulf networks and regional connections, their overall impact on global internet traffic would be limited.
Neither the United States Department of State nor Iran’s Foreign Ministry responded to Reuters’ requests for comment on the reported contingency plans. Gulf governments also offered no immediate public response.
Tehran Signals Broader Retaliation Against Digital Infrastructure
The reported plans reflect a wider shift in Iran’s stated approach to potential military confrontation with the United States.
Iranian security officials have increasingly suggested that any renewed American military campaign would provoke a stronger and more extensive response than previous rounds of fighting.
Earlier this month, senior Iranian security figure Mohsen Rezaei warned that digital infrastructure associated with the United States across the Gulf could become a target in another conflict.
His warning specifically included data centres and facilities supporting artificial intelligence, indicating that Tehran may view technologically significant investments as potential instruments of pressure during a military confrontation.
Such threats have implications for Gulf economies, which have invested substantial resources in developing digital infrastructure, expanding advanced technology industries and attracting international investment.
One Iranian security official argued that Gulf governments should hold Washington responsible for any damage to underwater cables resulting from renewed hostilities, rather than blaming Tehran.
The statement appeared intended to increase diplomatic pressure on the United States by highlighting the economic and technological risks that another conflict could create for American partners in the region.
Gulf Investment and Regional Stability at Risk
The possibility of attacks on telecommunications infrastructure introduces an additional dimension to the security challenges facing Gulf countries.
While regional governments have traditionally focused on protecting energy installations, shipping routes and military facilities, their growing dependence on digital services has created new vulnerabilities.
Banking systems, commercial transactions, government communications and technology-dependent industries rely heavily on stable telecommunications networks.
Any sustained disruption to submarine cable connections could therefore create difficulties for businesses and public services, particularly if repair operations were obstructed.
Alex Vatanka, director of the Iran programme at the Middle East Institute in Washington, interpreted Tehran’s warnings as part of a broader deterrence strategy.
He said Iranian authorities were attempting to discourage renewed military action by drawing attention to the potential consequences for Gulf governments and American companies with significant investments in the region.
According to Vatanka, Tehran wants regional governments and corporate leaders to pressure US President Donald Trump over the risks that renewed confrontation could pose to their economic and investment plans.
The strategy appears designed to make the financial consequences of another military conflict a central consideration for Washington and its regional partners.
Diplomacy Faces Growing Pressure
The latest warnings come at a sensitive moment for diplomatic efforts aimed at preventing another escalation between Iran and the United States.
Although the reported contingency plans have not been independently detailed or publicly demonstrated, statements from Iranian security officials indicate that Tehran is considering a broader range of potential targets in the event of renewed hostilities.
The inclusion of underwater communications cables and advanced digital facilities in Iran’s warnings highlights the increasing importance of technological infrastructure in modern geopolitical confrontations.
It also raises questions about how regional governments can protect essential communications networks while maintaining economic connectivity and attracting international investment.
For Gulf countries, the challenge extends beyond conventional military security to ensuring that critical digital systems remain operational during periods of heightened regional tension.
The warnings underscore how another confrontation involving Iran, the United States and Israel could threaten not only military and energy infrastructure but also the communications networks supporting the Gulf’s increasingly digital economies.
