The Next Target for the Houthis: "May Be Underwater"

An analysis published by the American magazine "Foreign Policy" warns that the Houthi rebels may target important underwater communication cables, including internet lines, that pass through the Red Sea, connecting Asia to Europe. The analysis notes that an account linked to the Houthis on the Telegram app published a map in late December showing the routes of the fiber optic cables passing through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait west of Yemen. It indicates that this threat has resonated widely among other Iranian-backed armed groups, including Hezbollah. Timothy Strong, Vice President of Research at TeleGeography, a communications market research company, stated that "over 99 percent of cross-border communications pass through underwater cables, which includes not just the internet but also financial transactions, bank transfers, and even defense institutions." He added, "As for the Red Sea, it is critically important for connecting Europe to Asia."