TUNIS, October 20. /TASS/. Undersea data transmission cables running through the Strait of Hormuz could become Iran’s next targets, a representative of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC, an elite branch of Iran’s armed forces) warned.
"We do not rule out the possibility of war, and this time our response will be much harsher. This time, America will face serious trouble, and the world will face a severe energy crisis," Fars news agency quoted him as saying. The IRGC representative stressed that "new types of weapons will be unveiled and new targets identified in the next phase of the war." "Seven major cables run through the Strait of Hormuz, supporting global internet operations and commercial data transmission. We remind the enemy of this," he said.
The United States and Israel launched a war against Iran on February 28. In June, Washington and Tehran signed a memorandum of understanding providing for an immediate cessation of hostilities on all fronts, including in Lebanon. However, overnight on July 8, the United States resumed large-scale strikes on Iran, accusing it of violating the terms of the agreements reached concerning the Strait of Hormuz. The US administration subsequently effectively signaled an end to the use of large-scale military force against Iran and a shift toward an attempt to economically strangle the country through sanctions. On October 10, the US leader did not rule out the possibility of further strikes against the Islamic Republic.