Weaponising every layer of Hormuz
Media outlets linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards reportedly said global tech giants such as Google, Microsoft, Meta and Amazon would be required to comply with Iranian regulations, while submarine cable operators could face licensing fees and restrictions giving repair and maintenance rights exclusively to Iranian firms.
How subsea internet cables work
Subsea cables are fiber-optic lines laid across the ocean floor to carry internet and data traffic between continents.
They handle nearly all global internet communications, including banking transactions, cloud computing, video calls and streaming.
Specialised cable-laying ships place the cables along carefully mapped seabed routes.
In shallow waters, cables are often buried under the seabed to protect them from anchors and fishing activity.
The cables transmit data using pulses of light through optical fibers at extremely high speeds.
Repeater stations placed along the route boost signals over long distances.
If damaged, repair ships must locate the fault, retrieve the cable from the seabed and splice it back together.
Modern global internet systems rely heavily on subsea cables because satellites cannot efficiently handle the same volume and speed of global data traffic.
A Senior Associate Editor with more than 30 years in the media, Stephen N.R. curates, edits and publishes impactful stories for Gulf News — both in print and online — focusing on Middle East politics, student issues and explainers on global topics.
Stephen has spent most of his career in journalism, working behind the scenes — shaping headlines, editing copy and putting together newspaper pages with precision.
For the past many years, he has brought that same dedication to the Gulf News digital team, where he curates stories, crafts explainers and helps keep both the web and print editions sharp and engaging.