According to Rest of World, the ongoing conflict in the Red Sea is forcing some of the world's largest tech companies to rethink how internet traffic moves between Europe and Asia. Google, Meta, and Microsoft are said to be negotiating or securing costly land routes as a hedge against attacks on the submarine cables that pass through the region near Yemen.
These cables carry a significant share of intercontinental data, and the threat of damage or sabotage has made relying on them riskier. The report notes that land routes are not a simple substitute; they are more expensive and may add latency, but they offer a way to keep data moving if undersea links are cut.
Because this is a single source, there are no conflicting accounts to compare. Still, the reporting highlights how geopolitical instability can directly shape digital infrastructure decisions, with consequences for the cost and resilience of global connectivity.