Attacks on GPS rise amid US and Israeli war on Iran

Shipping via Strait of Hormuz– Narrow, but A vital oil trade route In the Middle East – it reached a level of approx halt Since the beginning The United States and Israel’s war against Iran. Tankers in the region have faced military strikes and a rise in GPS jamming attacks, a new analysis says.

Since the first US-Israeli strikes against Iran on February 28, the communications technology of more than 1,100 ships operating throughout the Gulf region has been disrupted, according to Ami Daniel, CEO of maritime intelligence firm Windward. The company says the ships have been made to appear as if they were indoors on maps, including at a nuclear power plant.

The analysis comes as naval officials warn of a “critical” risk to ships operating in the region and as the initial conflict quickly expands to include countries across the Middle East. at least Three carriers In the region damaged by the conflict.

“We’re seeing a lot of GPS interference,” Daniel says of shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and surrounding areas. He says the levels of electronic interference are “well above the baseline” of typical interference. “It has become too dangerous to get in and out.”

Over the past few years, attacks against GPS navigation systems have been increasing It was on the rise– Largely driven by wars in Ukraine and Gaza. It can affect people’s phones or devices, but it also disrupts safety and navigation systems on planes and ships. Electronic interference largely comes in two forms: Jamming and plagiarism. During jamming attacks, satellite signals are scrambled so that positioning data is not available. While spoofing can create false references that make an object appear incorrectly on the map, for example Ships appear as if they are indoors at airports.

Inaccurate position data can cause ships to go off course, which can increase their chances of colliding with other tankers, running aground, or causing harmful oil spills. In war zones, electronic interference is often used to try to disable the navigation systems of drones or missiles, which can rely on location data to find and strike their targets.

An analysis of shipping data by Windward found that there has been an “escalating” level of cyber interference across Iranian, UAE, Qatar and Oman waters since the initial strikes on February 28. Daniel says the majority of the activity the company has identified so far has been confusion, not deception. The company’s analysis says it has identified about 21 “new clusters” where ships’ AIS data have been scrambled in recent days.

He added: “The ships were incorrectly positioned at airports, a nuclear power plant, and on Iranian territory, resulting in navigation and compliance risks.” a report He says from the company. “AIS signals have also been diverted to the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant and nearby waters, while hundreds of other vessels are creating circle-like patterns off UAE, Qatari and Omani waters.”

GPS and AIS interference within the Strait of Hormuz and the surrounding area is nothing new. In June 2025, he represented Israel and Iran Exchange of missile launchesThere was great confusion in the area I mentioned.

While almost all commercial flights were suspended across the Middle East, there were signs of electronic interference on aircraft flying before and around the strikes. “There are at least six new spoofing signatures in the Middle East,” says Jeremy Pennington, vice president of positioning, navigation, timing and innovation strategy at technology company Spirent Communications. “Hundreds of flights were affected. However, this decreased significantly over the weekend as flights were cancelled.”