ETH expert warns of possible internet sabotage: the Houthi rebels can pull the plug on us!

So as Western states send warships into the Red Sea, a new concern arises: the Houthis’ next target could be below sea level rather than above. This involves dozens of submarine cables that transmit virtually all data and financial traffic between Europe and Asia. They account for almost a fifth of global internet traffic. The failure of these hidden arteries of global communications would be fatal.

Houthis threaten the West via Telegram

In late December, an account on Telegram posted threats against the fiber optic cables that run through the Strait of Bab el-Mandeb in western Yemen: “Did you know that the internet cables that connect the east to the west run through this strait? They are in our hands.” The channel then wondered – visibly rhetorically – whether this was “a veiled message to the Western coalition”. According to the Middle East Media Research Institute, the vague threats were picked up and amplified by stories linked to Iranian-backed fighters such as the Houthis and Hezbollah.

Yemeni telecommunications companies believe that the scenario of an attack on the cables is quite realistic. Moammar al-Eryani, Yemen’s information minister, said the Houthis were now “seriously threatening the global communications sector and the economy.” About 99 percent of intercontinental communications take place via submarine cables, including financial transactions and transfers between banks. Many Ministries of Defense also depend on cables.

A total of 16 internet cables run through the Red Sea. The greatest risk lies with the “Asia-Africa-Europe-1” (AAE-1) cable, which is almost as thick as a garden hose. It runs along the seabed for approximately 24,945 kilometers. The cable winds through the South China Sea toward Europe, providing internet to more than a dozen countries, from Hong Kong to France. Nearly 2,000 kilometers of it run through the Red Sea – the danger zone.

Over the past twenty years, the route has already become one of the largest bottlenecks in the world and is considered the most vulnerable place for the internet on earth. As early as June 2022, the EU warned in a report that “maritime terrorism” was a major problem in the area.

If Iran helps, Europe will blackout

Have we now reached maritime terrorism in the Red Sea? Mauro Gilli, security expert at ETH, warns in an interview with Blick: “There is a risk that these cables will be interrupted.” Sabotaging such cables is a challenge, “but certainly feasible”. Especially in the places where the cables go from the seabed to the land, the underwater cables could easily be damaged. According to Gilli, the water there, at a maximum depth of 100 meters, is shallow enough for divers to use conventional equipment to attach explosives to the cables.

But the deeper the cables lie in the sea, the more difficult it becomes for saboteurs, the expert explains – especially for a group like the Houthis. But the Houthis have used a range of advanced weapons, including ballistic missiles and kamikaze drones, in their attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea. They are also known to have trained divers and own mines, the Daily Mail reports.

Still, Gilli reassures: “It can be assumed that the Houthis do not have the necessary skills for this operation,” Gilli says. But: “Iran is likely capable of launching an attack in shallow waters, either with divers or submarines.” The question remains whether Iran would support the Houthis in such a project. It is possible, says Gilli. Especially in light of the deteriorating relations between Iran and the US.