Several Iranian-linked vessels have been loitering near undersea internet cables in the Gulf of Oman close to the Strait of Hormuz, raising concerns that Iran may be preparing to target critical communications infrastructure in response to new US and Israeli attacks. Maritime intelligence firm Windward tracked the vessels near major cable routes and observed movements that it said could indicate surveillance or the placement of explosives and mines, although the vessels’ intentions remain uncertain.
Vessels tracked near major cable routes
In October, Windward tracked three sanctioned tankers and an Iranian fishing vessel near a major undersea cable, according to the Financial Times. Six active cables currently pass through the disputed Strait of Hormuz, connecting the Middle East with Europe, Africa and Asia. Two additional cable segments are under construction in the region.
Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar rely entirely on telecommunications links through the Strait of Hormuz chokepoint to connect to the outside world. Other countries also depend heavily on the region’s cable network: about one-third of India’s westbound internet traffic passes through the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz.
One of the cables under construction is the 2Africa cable, which is owned by a technology consortium that includes US company Meta. It was one of the main cable corridors visited by the vessels linked to Iran.
Ships switched off tracking systems
Windward used ship-tracking data and satellite imagery to monitor the vessels as they slowed down and looped near multiple cables. Some ships “went dark” by switching off their Automatic Identification System, or AIS, transponders, which normally broadcast a vessel’s location and other information.
These movement patterns and other behavior suggest that Iranian-linked vessels may be “mapping cable routes and placing explosive charges and mines in the dark,” Windward told the Financial Times.
Windward cited two licensed tankers linked to Iran that had been “drifting directly above the regional cable corridor for days…there was no commercial reason for either to stop,” according to a company blog post. Neither vessel was carrying commercial cargo.
Source: arstechnica.com
