Red Sea conflict forces cloud giants to reroute internet traffic

More than 90% of data capacity between Europe and Asia runs through cables under the Red Sea, and the Bab al-Mandab strait, less than 32 km wide, is now contested. Google paid two to three times the usual €6 million for fiber along Turkish pipelines, Microsoft plans over $400 million in Middle East links by 2030, and Google and Meta have begun routing some traffic through Iraq.

• Over 90% of Europe–Asia data capacity runs through Red Sea cables
• Google paid 2–3x the usual €6 million for fiber in Turkey
• Microsoft to invest over $400 million in Middle East links by 2030
• Repairing one cable in the strait could take months due to permits