Iran-linked ships caught loitering over undersea internet cables in the Gulf of Oman

Ships linked to Iran have been tracked making suspicious moves over undersea telecommunications cables in the Gulf of Oman, The Jerusalem Post reported Sunday, citing a Financial Times report.

The Israeli maritime intelligence firm Windward tracked at least four vessels on unusual routes near submarine cable networks: three oil tankers under U.S. sanctions and a small Iranian fishing boat. Tracking records show the fishing boat lingered near the Europe India Gateway and Transworld cables between Oct. 21 and 26.

Windward said the ships sailed normally "until they reached a specific cable corridor, and only then slowed, looped, turned back, loitered, or went dark." The company said the behavior "fits the profile of mapping the cable routes, or placing charges or mines on them while dark."

The findings come after Iran spent the past month threatening to attack undersea cables and data centers in the Strait of Hormuz if the United States and Israel renew strikes. Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar depend entirely on cables that pass through the strait for their internet connections.