Cyberspace: The Next Arena for the Saudi-Iranian Conflict? | INSS
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Home Publications Cyber, Intelligence, and Security Cyberspace: The Next Arena for the Saudi-Iranian Conflict?

Cyberspace: The Next Arena for the Saudi-Iranian Conflict?

Cyber, Intelligence, and Security, Volume 2, No. 2, December 2018

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Ron Deutch
Yoel Guzansky
Saudi-led coalition spokesman, Colonel Turki al-Malki, displays Iran-aligned Houthi drones, brought down April 11, over Jizan and Abha, during a news conference in Khobar, Saudi Arabia April 16, 2018.

The combination of structural vagueness embodied in large cyber operations and their potential to cause real damage makes cyberspace the ideal field of action for Saudi Arabia and Iran and matches their strategic outlook and their concept of the use of force. The risk and the opportunity that cyberspace offers to each of these countries make it tempting, particularly when it concerns the long-term investment of resources. Cyberspace can therefore be expected to become another central arena of conflict between Saudi Arabia and Iran, given the limitations of conventional force.


The opinions expressed in INSS publications are the authors’ alone.
Publication Series Cyber, Intelligence, and Security
TopicsAdvanced Technologies and National SecuritySaudi Arabia and the Gulf StatesIranSyria
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    • Topics
      • Israel and the Global Powers
      • Israel-United States Relations
      • Glazer Israel-China Policy Center
      • Russia
      • Europe
      • Antisemitism and Delegitimization
      • Iran and the Shi'ite Axis
      • The Campaign Against Iran and the Shiite Axis
      • Iran
      • Lebanon and Hezbollah
      • Syria
      • Yemen and the Houthi Movement
      • Iraq and the Iraqi Shiite Militias
      • Conflict to Agreements
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      • Hamas and the Gaza Strip
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