Ships loiter near subsea cables amid Iran's warnings to Trump

Key Points:

• Several Iran-linked tanker ships and a fishing boat have been observed loitering near critical subsea Internet cables in the Gulf of Oman, suggesting potential Iranian preparations to attack this infrastructure amid escalating tensions with the US and Israel.
• The Strait of Hormuz, a strategic chokepoint for global communications, hosts six active undersea cables and two more under construction, connecting the Middle East with Europe, Africa, and Asia; countries like Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and India heavily rely on these cables.
• Intelligence firm Windward tracked the suspicious behavior of sanctioned Iranian tankers drifting over cable corridors without commercial purpose and turning off tracking systems, indicating possible cable mapping or sabotage activities.
• Since the 2026 conflict escalation, Iran has targeted US military and commercial infrastructure, including threatening to impose fees on Internet cables and warning of direct attacks on undersea cables following US military threats.
• The ongoing war has disrupted cable installation and repair efforts, causing delays in projects like the Meta-backed 2Africa cable and prompting US tech firms and Gulf states to seek alternative routes to bypass the vulnerable Strait of Hormuz.