Not Just Oil: Hormuz Tensions Put Global Internet At Risk

Oil markets didn’t wait long to react. Within days, prices shot past $100 a barrel after tensions in the Middle East spiralled out of control. Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s busiest oil routes, slowed to a near standstill as Iran moved to block access following a wave of strikes by the US and Israel. What began as a military conflict quickly turned into a global economic shock. Energy markets felt the impact first.

Most people are watching oil and shipping, but there’s something else at risk that barely gets attention. Deep under the waters of the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea, long stretches of fibre-optic cables carry much of the world’s internet traffic. With the conflict showing no signs of easing, a bigger concern is starting to emerge. Could these cables be hit, and if they are, what happens to global connectivity? While we’re talking about these cables, here’s how important they are. When you send an email to someone on the other side of the world, it’s almost always relying on these underwater fibre-optic networks.

The threat to these cables isn’t only from targeted strikes. Most of the danger comes from the chaos of fighting at sea. Ships dodging attacks or altering their course can drag anchors along the ocean floor. In an instant, those anchors can slice through cables. Such accidental damage can cause most underwater cable failures during conflicts.

The biggest concern for internet providers isn’t just a snapped cable. Under normal circumstances, repair ships can reach a damaged line and fix it within days. Now, those ships can’t safely navigate the strait. Iran has reportedly warned that sending slow, stationary repair vessels into the area would be too risky. A disruption that would normally be brief could stretch for months, causing widespread internet slowdowns and blackouts in some nations.

The economic impact goes far beyond slow streaming or lagging emails. Tech giants have invested billions in huge data centres across the Gulf, hoping the region will become a major hub for artificial intelligence serving clients across multiple continents. But there’s a hidden risk: these centres rely on undersea cables to stay connected to the global Internet. If those links are cut, the facilities could be unable to operate—and AI services worldwide could come to a sudden halt.

In regions where digital networks drive the economy, even small interruptions can have big consequences. Data travelling between Asia, Africa, and Europe flows through the Red Sea and the Strait of Hormuz, making these routes absolutely critical for global connectivity. As nations scramble for alternative oil, few notice a bigger risk: the world’s internet relies on fragile cables under the sea. The Strait of Hormuz blockade highlights how easily these vital connections could be disrupted, threatening global digital networks.