Iran-linked ships raise sabotage fears near critical Gulf internet cables

At least four Iran-linked vessels have been observed making unusual movements near critical undersea internet cables in the Gulf of Oman, raising concerns about possible sabotage, the Financial Times reported.
Maritime intelligence firm Windward identified three US-sanctioned tankers and an Iranian fishing-support vessel that slowed, circled or switched off tracking systems near major cable routes between October 5 and 28.
One tanker disappeared from public tracking for 86 hours near the 2Africa and Bay of Bengal Gateway cable corridors. Another spent approximately 10 days moving slowly near several subsea connections.
The activity follows threats by Iranian officials to target regional internet cables, data centres and other digital infrastructure if the US or Israel launches further attacks.
The stakes extend beyond telecommunications. Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar depend on cables crossing the Strait of Hormuz for international connectivity, making disruptions a potential threat to banking transactions, cloud services and digital businesses.
Windward said the vessel movements could be consistent with mapping cable routes or preparing interference. However, the tracking data does not establish that sabotage was attempted, and no cable attack or placement of explosives has been confirmed.
The security concerns add another layer of risk to the Gulf's ambitions to attract AI infrastructure and expand its digital economy.
Source: Financial Times, Windward (October 29–November 6, 2026)