Iranian Ships Loiter Over Critical Undersea Internet Cables
Windward Intelligence reports Iranian-linked vessels exhibited suspicious patterns over subsea cables in the Gulf of Oman amid threats to target digital infrastructure.
Four ships linked to Iran, including three U.S.-sanctioned tankers and a fishing vessel, loitered over critical undersea telecommunications cables in the Gulf of Oman between October 21 and 26. According to Windward Intelligence, the vessels slowed, looped, and disabled their automated tracking systems while positioned over the 2Africa, Europe India Gateway, and Transworld cables.
Analysts at Windward Intelligence state these behaviors fit the profile of mapping cable routes or placing mines and charges on the infrastructure. The activity occurs as the United States deploys military assets, including the USS Theodore Roosevelt, to the region. The affected area is a vital telecommunications chokepoint; Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar depend entirely on these cables for global connectivity, and one-third of India's westbound internet traffic passes through the corridor.
These movements follow explicit threats from Iranian officials. Hossein Mohebbi, a spokesperson for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, warned that new weapons would be unveiled to remove U.S. power from the region, specifically noting the seven major cables in the Strait of Hormuz as potential targets. Additionally, Mohsen Rezaei, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, threatened the destruction of data centers and artificial intelligence facilities if the United States and Israel launch new bombing campaigns.
