Iran flags undersea cables, cloud networks as potential targets in Gulf

TEHRAN : Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has signalled that critical digital infrastructure in the Persian Gulf—including undersea internet cables and cloud networks that could become targets amid escalating tensions and a fragile ceasefire.

According to reports from IRGC-linked media, the warning highlights the strategic importance and vulnerability of the region’s digital backbone, suggesting that infrastructure supporting global connectivity could be drawn into the conflict.

Digital Infrastructure In Focus
The Strait of Hormuz is not only a key global oil route but also a major corridor for submarine communication cables that carry internet and data traffic across continents.

IRGC-linked reports have mapped these undersea cables and associated cloud infrastructure across Gulf countries such as the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia—effectively identifying them as potential pressure points.

Experts warn that any disruption to these systems could trigger widespread internet outages and impact financial networks, businesses, and governments across multiple regions.

Wider Escalation Concerns
The warning comes as tensions remain high despite a ceasefire between Iran and the United States. The conflict has already expanded beyond conventional military targets, with reports of strikes on data centres and growing concerns over cyber and infrastructure warfare.

Undersea cables, which form the backbone of global communications, are particularly vulnerable because they run through narrow maritime chokepoints like the Strait of Hormuz.

Analysts say even limited damage to a few major cables could significantly disrupt connectivity across the Middle East and beyond, given the region’s heavy reliance on these routes.

Strategic Signal Amid Fragile Truce
The IRGC’s messaging is widely seen as a strategic signal to regional and global players, underlining Iran’s ability to target not just energy infrastructure but also the digital systems that underpin the global economy.

The development adds a new dimension to the conflict, raising fears that any further escalation could impact both physical supply chains and the digital networks that support them.

Source : News18