Iran Says It Has Detailed Plans to Hit Gulf Undersea Cables if War Resumes

Summary

Iran has drawn up detailed plans to target undersea communications cables in the Gulf if the United States and Israel attack it again, two senior Iranian security officials told Reuters. The officials gave few details and did not say how or where such attacks would be carried out. One said Iran would aim to prevent repairs after any attack to prolong disruptions to communications, including internet connections, and warned Washington that there would be no more red lines, from undersea cables to military bases, including covert ones. The second official said Gulf allies should hold Washington, not Tehran, responsible for any cable damage. Yadollah Javani, deputy head of political affairs for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, said Iran could target seven major internet cables beneath the Strait of Hormuz if Iranian infrastructure came under attack. Security chief Mohsen Rezaei earlier this month warned that US-linked digital infrastructure across the Gulf, including data centres and AI facilities, could be targeted in a renewed conflict. Experts said multiple cable cuts could slow internet services and disrupt financial transactions, e-commerce and cloud computing. The warnings followed statements that such cables could become targets if diplomacy with Washington collapses, and The Straits Times said the global impact of such attacks could be limited.

Timeline

1. The Straits Times

   23 Oct 2026, 16:57 UTCSource ↗

   Reports, citing officials, that Iran has drawn up detailed plans to hit Gulf undersea cables if war with the US and Israel resumes, and says the global impact of such attacks could be limited.

2. Middle East Eye

   23 Oct 2026, 17:25 UTCSource ↗

   Reports, citing two senior Iranian security officials who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity, that Tehran has detailed plans to target Gulf undersea cables if attacked again, and that Yadollah Javani said Iran could target seven major internet cables beneath the Strait of Hormuz.

3. The Hindu

   23 Oct 2026, 21:16 UTCSource ↗

   Reports that the comments on undersea cables followed earlier Iranian warnings that cables in the region could become targets in any renewed conflict if diplomacy with Washington collapses.

4. The Times of Israel

   23 Oct 2026, 23:03 UTCSource ↗

   Reports that one Iranian official warned there would be no more red lines if Iran is attacked and told the US not to play with fire.

5. Channel NewsAsia

   24 Oct 2026, 00:54 UTCSource ↗

   Reports that Iran has detailed plans to hit Gulf undersea cables if war resumes, with the comments following warnings that regional cables could become targets if diplomacy with Washington collapses.

6. NDTV

   24 Oct 2026, 01:42 UTCSource ↗

   Reports that Iranian officials said they have detailed plans to target undersea cables in the Gulf if war resumes, under a headline warning of undersea cable attacks.