Iran plans to target Gulf undersea cables if war resumes, officials say

Iran has detailed plans to target undersea communications cables in the Gulf if the United States and Israel attack again, two senior Iranian security officials told Reuters, warning that Tehran would aim to prevent repairs to prolong disruptions. The officials, speaking anonymously, said Iran would target cables from undersea lines to military bases if attacked, with one warning Washington not to "play with fire." Revolutionary Guards deputy head Yadollah Javani said Iran could hit seven major internet cables beneath the Strait of Hormuz, which carries less than 1% of international bandwidth. The threats aim to deter conflict and pressure Washington by alarming Gulf states and US companies with regional investments, analysts said. Gulf governments have heavily invested in technology infrastructure, and Iranian strikes hit two Amazon Web Services facilities in the UAE in March.