Impact of Houthi Attacks on Internet Traffic in the Red Sea
Since the beginning of the year, there has been a significant impact on internet traffic and data transmission from Asia to Europe via undersea fiber-optic cables in the Red Sea. Reports indicate that at least 25% of the traffic has been affected due to attacks by Houthi rebels, resulting in serious damage to the cables and causing interruptions.
Challenges and Solutions
The optical fibers laid in the Red Sea account for 17% of total global internet traffic, making any potential damage a major concern. Last spring, four out of 16 submarine cables were damaged simultaneously, posing a threat to data transfer between Asia, Greece, and the rest of Europe.
To address this issue, EXA Infrastructure, a multinational digital infrastructure company, has partnered with Turkish Socar Fiber, a subsidiary of Azeri oil company Socar, to construct a terrestrial fiber-optic cable. This new cable aims to bypass the Red Sea route, providing a more secure and reliable alternative for internet traffic between Asia and Europe.
