Iran plans to target Gulf undersea cables if attacked by US or Israel

Iran has developed detailed plans to target undersea communication cables in the Gulf if attacked by the United States or Israel, according to two senior Iranian security officials cited by Reuters. Such strikes could disrupt internet services, financial transactions, and cloud computing. The officials provided few specifics on methods or locations, but one said Tehran would aim to prevent cable repairs to prolong outages. A senior official warned Washington against escalation, stating Iran had full access to the cables. IRGC deputy Yadollah Javani said seven major cables beneath the Strait of Hormuz could be targeted if Iranian infrastructure is hit. Undersea cables carry about 99% of global internet traffic, but less than 1% of international bandwidth passes through the Strait of Hormuz, limiting global impact, per TeleGeography's Alan Mauldin. The Red Sea, carrying roughly 3% of global demand, could be a more significant target, with potential Houthi support. Iran previously struck two Amazon Web Services facilities in the UAE in March.