Story perspectives

Iran drafts plans to hit up to seven Gulf cables

By Drooid · Oct 26, 2026, 4:42 PM UTC · How we work

Center

Iran targets undersea cables

Iran announced on Oct. 23 2026 it would attack up to seven Gulf undersea cables if the United States and Israel strike Iran.
Iranian officials said the plan also seeks to block repairs, though the cables carry less than one percent of global bandwidth.
Two senior Iranian security officials, speaking anonymously to Reuters, confirmed drafting detailed cable-targeting plans.
Yadollah Javani, IRGC deputy head of political affairs, said Tehran could strike seven cables.

Left

Marine Life Endangerment

Iran has drafted plans to strike undersea communications cables in the Gulf if the United States and Israel attack Iran, officials said on Oct. 23, 2026.
The report stresses that such attacks would cripple essential public services, including water supplies from desalination plants serving millions of Gulf residents.
Satellite images show oil spills from recent attacks on Gulf ships and oil infrastructure.
Researchers warn the contamination threatens sea turtles, dugongs and whale-sharks in the Gulf.

Blindspot

Satellite images showed oil spills from recent attacks on ships and oil infrastructure in the Gulf, which researchers said threaten sea turtles, dugongs, whale-sharks and could damage desalination plants that supply drinking water to millions of residents.
Within this story's sources, this environmental angle appears mainly in Left-leaning coverage and receives less attention in Center-leaning coverage.

1 of 3

Iran targets undersea cables

Iran announced on Oct. 23 2026 it would attack up to seven Gulf undersea cables if the United States and Israel strike Iran.
Iranian officials said the plan also seeks to block repairs, though the cables carry less than one percent of global bandwidth.
Two senior Iranian security officials, speaking anonymously to Reuters, confirmed drafting detailed cable-targeting plans.
Yadollah Javani, IRGC deputy head of political affairs, said Tehran could strike seven cables.

1 / 3