Iran hints at targeting submarine internet cables in Gulf waters

On Sunday  , April 26, 2026, Iran's Fars News Agency hinted at maritime internet lines as a final escalation card in the war waged by the occupation and the United States against Iran.

The agency said that all eyes are on the Strait of Hormuz "as a potential new front for digital conflict", and not just as a vital energy corridor, in light of talk of the possibility of Iran resorting to targeting submarine internet cables as a final escalation card.

According to media reports and information security experts, submarine cables, which pass through the waters of the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, represent a key artery for global digital communication, making them a sensitive target in any potential confrontation.

What do we know about submarine cables?

Submarine cables are the backbone of the internet around the world, transmitting 99% of international data traffic for all types of communications, while little is left for satellites.

With the hint of the Iranian media resorting to disrupting the cable network in the waters of the Gulf, which is one of the important networks around the world, because of its connection to the global energy file, questions are raised about what the network is, which consists of fiber optic lines covered with several protective layers that extend across the bottom of the oceans and seas, and connect the world to each other completely, except for one region, Antarctica.

According to TeleGeographic, a website dedicated to submarine cables for the Internet, the number of systems currently on the network is 597 active or under construction, which is set to increase to an additional 100 by the end of this year.

The network stretches for 1.5 million kilometers, which is enough to circumvent the earth, dozens of times, and there is no talk of a single line in every sea or ocean, but a series of cables and huge networks that provide immediate alternatives in the event of a disruption.

From where and to where?

Submarine cables connect all continents of the earth, except Antarctica, through several axes, each reaching distribution and land connection points at beaches and coasts.

One network spans across the Atlantic, from the United States and Canada to Europe, and across the Pacific from the United States  to Japan, China, Southeast Asia and Australia.

A network of cables that is one of the largest in the world extends around Africa, linking Asia and Europe to about 46 African stations, as well as a network to connect the Red Sea and the Gulf region with a vital corridor linking Europe, Asia and Africa, with about 17 basic cables. 

Huge weights

The cables consist of a very thin network of optical fibers, about 25 mm in diameter, the size of a water hose for a garden, but to protect them from seawater, oceans and any other influences, they are covered with about 8 layers of polyethylene, steel, aluminum, and petroleum generation, and the weight of the cables is 1.4 tons per kilometer in the depths, extending the distance they cover in the subsea and oceans.

Cables are buried from shallow water beds at distances of less than 2,000 meters underwater, in trenches that can be up to 3 meters deep, by hydraulic drilling rigs or underwater robots, in order to protect them from boats, fishing nets and water currents.

The large depths, which are more than 2,000 meters, are dumped directly on the ocean floor, and are not buried and formed according to the topography of the bottom in areas that can reach up to 11 kilometers in depth.

Specialized vessels lay cables, according to geonavigation systems linked to satellites, to determine routes and tidal locations.

100 Annual Holidays

The process of repairing cables is delicate and complex and requires specialized technology and teams, under harsh maritime working conditions, and according to statistics, about 100 annual breakdowns occur on the global network, due to fishing operations and large ship anchors that can cut cables as well as sea currents.

There are specialized teams around the world that own ships equipped with all the precise and special equipment for maintenance, which move within a short time in the event of a malfunction, and continue to work on repairs for up to days to weeks depending on the field and weather conditions.

Ship anchors cut cables

According to websites specialized in the submarine cable network, the most common cause of cable cutting or damage is the anchorages of huge ships, which are attached to the cable, and drag them to the seabed for long distances, especially in areas of shallow water.

But large-depth cables require military submarines or sophisticated deep-sea robots, with large cutting tools or hooks, to sabotage the cables, and this can only be done with highly advanced military or advanced capabilities that individuals do not have.

Shore cables, offshore interconnection and distribution stations, divers or underwater explosives can damage the network, but guarding and monitoring patrols make it very difficult.

On the other hand, cables are durable and sealed with multiple layers, which makes it very difficult for non-specialists or those who know how to make them and their weaknesses.