What Iran’s threats to Hormuz internet cables mean for Gulf

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has resumed threats to attack undersea internet cables in the Strait of Hormuz, putting the Gulf’s digital infrastructure at risk as Tehran warns against new US and Israeli strikes.

What happened: The IRGC’s political chief, Brig. Gen. Yadollah Javani, warned Wednesday that Iran could target undersea internet cables passing through Hormuz if the United States or its allies attack Iranian infrastructure.

Speaking to Iran’s Arabic-language Al-Alam television, Javani said US and allied investments could become targets in retaliation.

His remarks followed Monday's warning by IRGC spokesperson Hossein Mohebbi, who drew attention to cables beneath the strait during a speech at Tehran’s Sacred Defense Museum.

“Seven major internet cables run beneath the Strait of Hormuz,” Mohebbi said. “We just want them to know that new targets will be unveiled. New weapons will be unveiled.”

Andreas Krieg, associate professor at Kings College London's School of Security Studies and the Defence Studies Department, said that the threat is unlikely to become action, but it would be a mistake to dismiss it as empty rhetoric.

“Iran wants Washington to understand that another military offensive could carry consequences far beyond Iranian territory, including disruption to the digital infrastructure upon which the Gulf’s economies increasingly depend,” he added.

The warnings come amid preparations for a possible new round of US and Israeli attacks. The New York Times reported Wednesday that the two countries’ militaries had developed plans for strikes after the Nov. 3 US midterm elections, potentially targeting Iran’s energy infrastructure, nuclear facilities and missile and drone arsenals. 

Why it matters: Five undersea cable segments pass through the Strait of Hormuz, according to the International Cable Protection Committee. Together, they carry less than 1% of global international bandwidth, the committee says, citing telecommunications research firm TeleGeography.

While its role in global connectivity is limited, Hormuz is a critical digital chokepoint for Gulf countries, connecting them to wider international networks. Major systems crossing the strait include Asia-Africa-Europe 1, FALCON and Gulf Bridge International, according to TeleGeography.

Damage could slow internet connections, disrupt online services and delay financial transactions, with consequences for businesses reliant on international data flows. The threat also exposes a vulnerability in Gulf efforts to build artificial intelligence and cloud computing industries.

“Technically, damaging an individual submarine cable is considerably easier than protecting an entire network. Much of the Strait of Hormuz is relatively shallow, and the IRGC possesses maritime capabilities suited to operating in these waters,” said Krieg. “Submarine cables are physically vulnerable infrastructure, and damage can be caused by relatively unsophisticated maritime activity as well as deliberate underwater sabotage.”

Krieg stressed that cutting one cable does not paralyze a regional communications system and traffic can be redirected through alternative submarine and terrestrial routes.

However, TeleGeography reported in a March analysis that terrestrial networks may lack the capacity to absorb all displaced traffic. Most of Saudi Arabia's international bandwidth runs through its Red Sea coast, while the UAE’s main submarine cable hub at Fujairah lies outside Hormuz.

Qatar said on Tuesday that any disruption to undersea cables in the strait would impact countries across the region, including Iran.

“If someone on the Iranian side reflected honestly on the situation, they would ask: Who is the biggest victim?” Ibrahim Al Hashmi, director of the Media and Communications Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said in a press briefing.

He added that neither the United States nor Israel would suffer the greatest impact, but countries across the region, including Iran.

Producing a prolonged regional outage would require multiple disruptions. “Conducting such operations in a heavily monitored maritime environment would also expose Iran to considerable military and political risks,” Krieg added.

This week’s warnings follow similar messaging earlier in the war. On April 22, IRGC-linked Tasnim news agency highlighted the vulnerability of undersea cables in the Gulf, warning that simultaneous damage to several systems, whether accidental or deliberate, could cause severe regional outages.

Know more: Disruptions in the Red Sea offer an example of the risks posed by damage to undersea cables. In 2024, a commercial vessel struck by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels dragged its anchor across the seabed, damaging three cables. Repairs took six months, according to TeleGeography.

This article has been updated to include comments from Andreas Krieg.