Iran is threatening to impose fees on undersea internet cables beneath the Strait of Hormuz, opening a new pressure front that could disrupt internet traffic, banking systems, cloud services and military communications across continents.

Iranian military spokesperson Ebrahim Zolfaghari said today that Tehran would “impose fees on internet cables.” Iranian regime-linked media later said major technology companies, including Google, Microsoft and Amazon, would be required to comply with Iranian law and pay usage fees, while cable-laying companies would also need permission to pass through the strait.

The threat targets one of the world’s most sensitive digital corridors. Undersea cables in and around Hormuz carry large volumes of data between Europe, Asia and the Gulf, including financial transactions, cloud traffic, energy-sector communications and services used by artificial intelligence companies. Damage to the cables could slow internet service, disrupt banking systems and affect oil and gas infrastructure across the region.

Mostafa Ahmed, a senior researcher at the UAE-based Habtoor Research Center, warned that small submarines or underwater drones operated by the Revolutionary Guard could damage the cables and trigger a “digital catastrophe.” Telecom experts have said most regional cables were laid closer to Oman to reduce risk, though at least some systems reportedly pass through Iranian territorial waters.

The warning came as Abu Dhabi authorities said a drone strike caused a fire at an electrical generator outside the inner perimeter of the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant in the UAE’s Al Dhafra region. Officials said there were no injuries and no impact on radiological safety levels. The IAEA expressed “grave concern” over military activity near nuclear infrastructure, as Gulf states face growing fears that Iran could expand the conflict beyond oil routes into digital and nuclear-linked targets.