# Iran-US tensions and threats to regional infrastructure

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/iran-us-tensions-in-the-persian-gulf
> Updated: 2026-10-14T16:48:52.000Z. Sources: 23. Developments: 3.

Iranian military operations in the Persian Gulf have transitioned from targeting physical logistical infrastructure to threatening digital and technological assets. Initially, Iranian forces utilized waves of low-cost drones and missiles to target fixed logistical installations, bypassing advanced air defenses to damage fifteen regional sites. This strategy included an attack on a naval base in Bahrain, which hindered support for vessels like the USS Abraham Lincoln. Mohsen Rezaee, head of Iran’s National Security Committee, has expanded these threats to include data centers, artificial intelligence infrastructure, communication hubs, and internet cables. He specifically noted that high-value American technological assets in the United Arab Emirates and near the Strait of Hormuz, estimated to be worth in excess of $2 trillion, remain potential targets if hostilities with the United States resume. Rezaee has further specified that seven major internet cables passing under the Strait of Hormuz are at risk. While he noted these assets have not yet been included in official target lists, they would be subject to destruction in the event of war. Such an attack would target the digital backbone of the region, including cloud computing, telecommunications, and financial transaction networks. Regional reports suggest that damaging these undersea fiber-optic networks would be a complex, time-consuming process to repair, potentially disrupting economic sectors across the Gulf states and beyond. Beyond physical and undersea threats, Iranian cyber operations have targeted United States domestic infrastructure and military personnel. Groups linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Ministry of Intelligence (MOIS) have reportedly seized personal information from U.S. servicemembers, including data regarding F-35 fighter jets, and hacked the FBI Director’s email. Cyber activities have also impacted U.S. healthcare and water sectors, with one incident reportedly wiping between 80,000 and 200,000 devices, causing hospital surgery delays.

## Claims

- Potential targets include facilities in the United Arab Emirates and areas near the Strait of Hormuz. (corroborated by 8 sources)
- Mohsen Rezaei warned that Iran could target data centers, AI infrastructure, and communication cables in the Persian Gulf if US military operations resume. (corroborated by 7 sources)
- The value of the threatened technological assets in the region is estimated to exceed $2 trillion. (corroborated by 6 sources)
- Iranian officials have suggested that Tehran could launch ground invasions into neighboring countries in response to US attacks. (corroborated by 3 sources)
- Iran is continuing to exchange messages with the United States through mediators to resolve disputes in the Strait of Hormuz. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- Iran has not yet included these specific technological assets among its military targets. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- Iran claims to be prepared to deploy new military capabilities if a confrontation with the United States occurs. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- Iran and its allies have launched at least 135 missile and drone attacks on at least 84 infrastructure sites in the Gulf since February 28. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- Attacks have targeted infrastructure in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Iraq, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, and Bahrain. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- Strikes on Qatar’s Ras Laffan liquefied natural gas facility damaged two cooling units known as ‘cold boxes’. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- Airports in at least four different countries have been targeted by strikes. (corroborated by 2 sources)

## Timeline

### 2026-10-14: Iran conducts 135 strikes on Gulf infrastructure sites

Iran and its allies have launched at least 135 missile and drone strikes on 84 infrastructure sites across the Gulf, targeting vital energy, port, and airport facilities in several countries.

4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/iran-conducts-precision-strikes-on-gulf-infrastructure

### 2026-10-11: Iran threatens regional tech infrastructure and ground invasions

Iran warns it may target $2 trillion in regional AI and data infrastructure, including cables and centers, if US hostilities resume. Officials also suggest potential ground incursions into neighboring countries

13 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/iran-threatens-digital-infrastructure-and-us-assets-in-the-gulf

### 2026-09-26: Iran targets U.S. logistical infrastructure in Persian Gulf

Iran has disrupted U.S. operations in the Persian Gulf by using low-cost drone swarms to target fixed logistical infrastructure, exhausting expensive American defense systems.

6 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/iran-targets-us-logistical-infrastructure-in-persian-gulf

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Cite as: Iran-US tensions and threats to regional infrastructure. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/iran-us-tensions-in-the-persian-gulf
