Telegram channel linked to the Houthis published a message showing submarine cable routes in the Red Sea. Yemen appears to be in a strategic position, as internet lines that connect entire continents – not just countries – pass nearby.
Red Sea fiber optic pipes carry nearly 17% of global Internet traffic. If Iran cuts these crucial communications cables, it would further risk a large-scale escalation, likely leading to retaliatory strikes in the country. The cables are no thicker than a garden hose and lie on the seabed only a hundred meters deep, which does not necessarily require high-tech submarines.