Tom’s Hardware reported on October 21, 2026, that Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) spokesman Hossein Mohebbi described undersea cables in the Strait of Hormuz as possible targets in a future conflict. IRGC political deputy Yadollah Javani was also reported to have warned of a response against cables if Iranian infrastructure were attacked. The remarks concern possible future action, not a reported attack.
What Iranian officials reportedly said
Mohebbi reportedly called the cables “legitimate new targets” and said seven large cables pass beneath the strait. Javani’s warning was conditional on an attack against Iranian infrastructure. The account described Mohebbi’s remarks as having been made at an event that week.
What the cable figures say about the potential reach
The International Cable Protection Committee (ICPC) said in a FAQ updated May 20, 2026, that five active cable-system segments traverse the Strait of Hormuz. Its count differs from Mohebbi’s reported figure of seven “large cables”; the two counts use different descriptions and have not been reconciled.
The ICPC says less than 1% of global international bandwidth traverses the strait. It describes the main risk as regional and says networks can reroute traffic over alternative submarine and terrestrial routes. Its FAQ on submarine cables and the Strait of Hormuz provides this network context.
Iran’s connection to the cable corridor
The Strait of Hormuz is a regional route connecting Gulf countries to wider networks. The ICPC says two cables land in Iran.
