Iran warns of potential attacks on Gulf internet infrastructure

Tehran's warnings come as allied Houthi forces maintain control over key maritime chokepoints through which much of the region's internet traffic flows. The threats underscore the potential for digital disruption in the Gulf, where internet connectivity underpins financial systems, government operations and civilian communications across multiple nations.

The Persian Gulf and surrounding waters host numerous submarine cables carrying data between Europe, Asia and Africa. Data centres in the region, concentrated in countries including the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, serve as critical hubs for regional and international digital infrastructure. Damage to these facilities could disrupt connectivity across South Asia, Southeast Asia and beyond.

The Houthi movement, backed by Iran, has previously targeted shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, demonstrating both capability and willingness to disrupt maritime activities. Control of internet infrastructure would provide an additional leverage point in the region's ongoing geopolitical tensions.

Regional governments and international technology companies have expressed concern over the concentration of critical infrastructure and its exposure to potential attack. Efforts to increase redundancy and establish alternative routing for internet traffic have been discussed, though implementation remains limited due to geographic and technical constraints.