Iranian state-linked media circulate Persian Gulf cable maps, signalling potential sabotage
Updated
Updated · Asia Times · May 5
Iranian state-linked media circulate Persian Gulf cable maps, signalling potential sabotage
11 articles · Updated · Asia Times · May 5
The maps, shared from 22 April, identify cable routes, landing stations and data hubs in a region carrying vital internet and financial traffic.
The report warns severed seabed cables could disrupt banking, cloud services and AI systems, while plausible deniability and conflict could delay repairs for weeks or months.
It links the signalling to the 2024 Red Sea cable cuts after Houthi threats and says existing maritime law has proved too weak to deter or prosecute attacks.
Can redefining undersea cable attacks as piracy finally allow the world to defend the internet's physical backbone?
Is the $10 trillion global economy truly hostage to a simple ship's anchor in the hands of a hostile state?
The $10 Trillion Digital Chokepoint: Iran’s Strategic Threat to Strait of Hormuz Internet Cables
Overview
In early 2026, Iran's IRGC-linked Tasnim News Agency circulated a map highlighting critical undersea internet cables in the Strait of Hormuz, signaling Iran's capability and intent to disrupt this vital infrastructure. This threat builds on Iran's demonstrated asymmetric warfare, including drone strikes on cloud facilities and past cable damage by Iran-backed Houthi forces. These cables carry over $10 trillion in daily financial transactions and connect key Gulf states, making their disruption highly damaging. In response, Gulf states are pursuing infrastructure diversification and seabed monitoring, though these efforts face significant challenges. The ongoing tensions and Iran's strategy risk escalating conflict and set a dangerous precedent for global hybrid warfare, underscoring the urgent need for coordinated international action.