Iran is preparing multiple escalation options if fighting resumes with Israel, including attacks on internet infrastructure in the Persian Gulf, coordination with Shiite militant groups across Gulf states, and potential ground military operations against Kuwait, according to Iranian officials who spoke with The Wall Street Journal.
The contingency plans represent Iran's effort to impose costs on regional rivals and the United States should renewed conflict erupt, the sources told WSJ. The moves would be designed to complicate Washington's strategic position in the Gulf at a moment when the Trump administration has prioritized containing Tehran's influence over other regional concerns.
Among the specific options being examined by Iranian officials, according to the WSJ report, are strikes against undersea internet cables connecting Gulf states, efforts to incite Shiite unrest and militant activity across Gulf states including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, and a potential ground military operation targeting Kuwait.
The planning underscores the escalating strategic competition in the region as Israel conducts operations in Gaza and Lebanon while the United States maintains intensive naval and military presence in the Strait of Hormuz. President Donald Trump has threatened Iran multiple times in recent days and discussed the possibility of bringing the Strait of Hormuz under American control, according to reporting.
The disclosed contingency plans come as Israel has moved to constrain the scope and intensity of its military operations. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently instructed the IDF to obtain approval from Israel's political leadership before conducting targeted killings in Gaza or operations beyond the Yellow Line, according to reporting by Maariv. The directive reflects Israeli concern about provoking Washington into diplomatic action or an arms embargo.
U.S. officials have made clear that they view Iran as the primary theater of conflict in the Middle East and are seeking greater stability in Gaza and Lebanon to devote more resources to containing Iranian power. The Trump administration has faced growing frustration from Arab Gulf states over its inability to decisively defeat Iran and secure the Strait of Hormuz.
Administration envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff are being sent to the region to promote diplomatic efforts concerning Gaza and Lebanon, according to the Maariv report. The diplomatic initiative aims to lower the temperature in both theaters while maintaining focus on the broader Iran challenge.
Iranian officials have indicated they view the current moment as strategically consequential. The combination of U.S. military pressure, Israeli operations, and the ongoing crisis in the Strait of Hormuz has prompted Tehran to prepare responses that would impose costs on adversaries without necessarily triggering all-out regional war, according to the WSJ sources.
The specific focus on internet infrastructure attacks reflects Iran's assessment that disrupting connectivity in the Gulf would damage regional economies and complicate military coordination among Gulf states and their American allies. Attacks on undersea cables have become an increasingly common tool in regional and great-power competition.
Coordination with Shiite groups across the Gulf would amplify instability in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, and other states that have worked with Israel and the United States on security matters. Iran has historically supported such groups as a means of extending its influence and creating vulnerabilities for rivals.
