Iran’s Shadow War on the World’s Digital Arteries Tehran Threatens Global Communications Networks as Tensions Escalate

As the conflict between Iran and the U.S.-led coalition intensifies, Tehran is signaling a dangerous new front: the world’s undersea fiber-optic cables. Iranian state-linked media has explicitly warned that the concentration of critical data cables in the Strait of Hormuz creates a “vulnerable point” for the region’s digital economy — and by extension, the global one.

While much attention remains on oil flows through the Strait, a quieter but potentially more disruptive threat is emerging beneath the waves.

The Digital Chokepoint

The Strait of Hormuz is not only the world’s most important oil chokepoint — it has also become one of its most critical digital chokepoints.

Multiple major submarine cable systems pass through or near this narrow 21-nautical-mile waterway, carrying the vast majority of data traffic between Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. Key systems include:AAE-1 (Asia-Africa-Europe 1)
FALCON
GBI (Gulf Bridge International)
TGN-Gulf
SEA-ME-WE systems

These cables, along with others in the broader Persian Gulf corridor, handle an enormous share of international internet traffic. Industry data shows that submarine cables carry approximately 99% of global international data traffic and support over $10 trillion in daily financial transactions.Gulf states — particularly Qatar, Bahrain, and Kuwait — have limited route diversity, making them especially vulnerable to disruptions in this corridor.

Iran’s Remaining Undersea Capabilities

Recent U.S. and Israeli strikes (reportedly part of operations targeting Iranian naval assets) have significantly degraded Iran’s larger submarine fleet:Kilo-class (Tareq) submarines — Iran’s most capable conventional boats — are largely out of commission or heavily damaged.
At least one Fateh-class submarine has been sunk.

However, Iran still possesses a substantial number of Ghadir-class midget submarines (estimated 20+ operational). These small, domestically built vessels are well-suited for the shallow waters of the Persian Gulf. They are designed for asymmetric warfare, mine-laying, reconnaissance, and special operations — capabilities that could theoretically be used against undersea infrastructure.

Low-Tech Sabotage: Anchors, Tankers & Proxies

Iran does not necessarily need advanced submarines to threaten cables. Proven low-tech methods exist:

Anchor dragging by commercial vessels or tankers has already severed cables in contested waters. In 2024, a ship attacked by Houthis in the Red Sea drifted and cut three major cables with its anchor. Similar tactics have been observed in the Baltic Sea with suspected shadow fleet vessels.
In a wartime scenario, Iran or aligned actors could potentially use damaged or commandeered tankers to drag anchors across cable routes — a deniable and low-cost method.
Proxy forces, especially the Houthis in Yemen, have already demonstrated the ability to disrupt Red Sea cables (both directly and indirectly). The Houthis remain active and could target the Bab el-Mandeb chokepoint, creating a “dual chokepoint” crisis alongside the Strait of Hormuz.

The Economic Impact of Cable Disruption

Cutting or damaging these cables would not simply slow down Netflix. The consequences would be immediate and severe:

Gulf states would face major internet outages and connectivity blackouts, hitting banking, government services, and cloud infrastructure.
Global financial systems could be severely disrupted. High-frequency trading, SWIFT messaging, and cross-border payments rely on low-latency connections. As one Federal Reserve official famously noted, when communications networks go down, “the financial sector does not grind to a halt — it snaps to a halt.”
Rerouting traffic would increase latency and costs worldwide, affecting Europe-Asia-Africa connectivity.
Repair operations would be extremely difficult and slow in a conflict zone. There are only a limited number of specialized cable repair ships globally. Repairs in dangerous waters can take 40+ days and cost millions per incident.
Broader effects would ripple into e-commerce, cloud computing, AI infrastructure, and everyday digital services across multiple continents.

Past incidents in the Red Sea (2024–2025) already caused noticeable slowdowns across the Middle East, South Asia, and parts of Africa. A coordinated or multi-cable event in the Hormuz corridor would be far more damaging.

Why This Matters

Iran has historically used asymmetric tools when facing superior conventional forces. Threatening or disrupting undersea cables fits this pattern — offering high psychological and economic impact at relatively low direct cost, while remaining somewhat deniable.

Whether through submarines, proxies, or “accidental” anchor damage during heightened tensions, the risk to global digital infrastructure is real and growing.

For energy markets, this adds another layer of complexity. Reliable data flows are essential for modern energy trading, logistics, and the growing network of AI-powered energy systems. Any sustained disruption would compound the already severe effects of a Hormuz oil shock.

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