Maritime intelligence company Windward detected suspicious movements by a number of Iran-linked marine tankers and boats hovering and moving slowly over vital submarine internet cable routes in the Gulf of Oman near the Strait of Hormuz. These movements, tracked via satellite imagery and maritime data, indicate a potential readiness to target or plant explosives on international telecommunications infrastructure.
Currently, six active submarine cables cross the Strait of Hormuz, connecting the Middle East to Europe, Africa, and Asia, while segments of other cables are under construction, such as the 2Africa cable backed by a tech consortium including Meta. Several countries, such as Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar, rely entirely on these lines to communicate with the outside world, while one-third of westward internet traffic from India passes through them.
Tracking data showed that the vessels in question significantly slowed their speed over the direct cable corridors without any commercial reasons justifying their stoppage, with some turning off their Automatic Identification Systems (AIS) to conceal their locations. According to experts, this operational pattern suggests the possibility of mapping cable routes or attempting to tamper with them.
Escalation and Mutual Threats
These movements come within the context of a broader escalation ongoing since February 2026, which saw the targeting of energy facilities and infrastructure in the region, in addition to drone attacks targeting Amazon data centers. Last May, an Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps spokesperson hinted at the intention to impose fees on internet cables belonging to major tech companies, followed by more recent threats from military officials stating that the cables could be directly targeted in response to repeated U.S. threats of renewed military strikes.
Implications for the Technical Infrastructure Sector
The tense security situation has left repair and maintenance vessels unable to operate safely in the region, forcing the 2Africa cable project to suspend expansion plans. This reality has prompted major tech companies and regional countries to accelerate efforts to develop alternative routes that avoid passing through the Strait of Hormuz and the escalating grey zone warfare risks threatening global telecommunications cables.