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Internet connectivity knocked out in Yemen after airstrike

walrus01 5y ago
I would say that the importance and need for reliable two-way satellite IP data as a backup for essential comms (wheter geostationary based, iridium, inmarsat, and soon starlink) is directly proportional to how bad the political situation is in a country. Somewhere with an active civil war such as Yemen or Ethiopia, would rank towards the highest end of the scale.
- bogomipz 5y ago
  Indeed and it would be great to be able to crowdfund that bandwidth for people experiencing such blackouts.
- sudosysgen 5y ago
  That's great until you get flagged by an EW platform and hit by a missile for transmitting to satellites :/
Sporktacular 5y ago
It just can't catch a break. MBS would sooner see it burn to the ground before admitting he screwed up his decision to invade. He's set on devaluing the currency to the point of economic starvation. For the Houthis it's existential - they'll never accept going back to how it was before. And the youth get sick and go hungry.
- ffwszgf 5y ago
  It really is a Talibanesque situation unfolding in Yemen. It’s interesting because by all accounts they (Houthis) control most of the population centers of the country despite ostensibly representing the Shia minority that only constitutes ~25% of Yemenis.
  - 8note 5y ago
    id think more cuban missile crisis than taliban. the houthis put iranian military assets too close for comfort for the saudis
    - sofixa 5y ago
      Wasn't the Saudi intervention before the Iran one? Furthermore, the comparison is a bit off because Soviet military build-up on Cuba was merely a response to the actual nukes the US had in Turkey, literally on the Soviet border, but the US lost their shit in a typically hypocritical manner. Iran is purely projecting power wherever it can to combat Saudi and US influence in the region, it isn't a tit for tat response.
  - Sporktacular 5y ago
    The Houthis began their rebellion in response to Salafis (who are Sunni) encroaching in their region, interfering with their way of life, building Madrasas and pushing their brand of Suna - just like said Taliban does. But since then it's been about territory, resources and political control. Your numbers are wrong. Zaydis (Shia) make up around 50% of those centres. During the rebellion half of the national army fighting the Houthis was Shia (the same sect) as was the former president leading the country at the time. This isn't a religious war. It's been a lazy media pushing that narrative.
jevoten 5y ago
> The incident comes amid reports of an airstrike on a telecom hub It seems deliberate. Easier to wage war without atrocity videos leaking out.
- lostlogin 5y ago
  Was this ever a concern?
  - sofixa 5y ago
    MBS is trying to whitewash the blood on his hands ( e.g. the recent acquisition of Newcastle United), so at least somewhat.
AnAmericanPOV64 5y ago
slim 5y ago
I think this is the first time in history a belligerent targets internet infrastructure. it wont be the last time.
tomohawk 5y ago
This was a retaliatory strike in response to an attack by Houthis on UAE. Recent info about what's going on: https://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2022/01/houthis-launch-aerial-attack-against-uae-capital-abu-dhabi.php https://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2022/01/houthis-laun...

I would say that the importance and need for reliable two-way satellite IP data as a backup for essential comms (wheter geostationary based, iridium, inmarsat, and soon starlink) is directly proportional to how bad the political situation is in a country. Somewhere with an active civil war such as Yemen or Ethiopia, would rank towards the highest end of the scale.

bogomipz 5y ago
Indeed and it would be great to be able to crowdfund that bandwidth for people experiencing such blackouts.
sudosysgen 5y ago
That's great until you get flagged by an EW platform and hit by a missile for transmitting to satellites :/

Sporktacular 5y ago

It just can't catch a break. MBS would sooner see it burn to the ground before admitting he screwed up his decision to invade. He's set on devaluing the currency to the point of economic starvation. For the Houthis it's existential - they'll never accept going back to how it was before. And the youth get sick and go hungry.

ffwszgf 5y ago
It really is a Talibanesque situation unfolding in Yemen. It’s interesting because by all accounts they (Houthis) control most of the population centers of the country despite ostensibly representing the Shia minority that only constitutes ~25% of Yemenis.
- 8note 5y ago
  id think more cuban missile crisis than taliban. the houthis put iranian military assets too close for comfort for the saudis
  - sofixa 5y ago
    Wasn't the Saudi intervention before the Iran one? Furthermore, the comparison is a bit off because Soviet military build-up on Cuba was merely a response to the actual nukes the US had in Turkey, literally on the Soviet border, but the US lost their shit in a typically hypocritical manner. Iran is purely projecting power wherever it can to combat Saudi and US influence in the region, it isn't a tit for tat response.
- Sporktacular 5y ago
  The Houthis began their rebellion in response to Salafis (who are Sunni) encroaching in their region, interfering with their way of life, building Madrasas and pushing their brand of Suna - just like said Taliban does. But since then it's been about territory, resources and political control. Your numbers are wrong. Zaydis (Shia) make up around 50% of those centres. During the rebellion half of the national army fighting the Houthis was Shia (the same sect) as was the former president leading the country at the time. This isn't a religious war. It's been a lazy media pushing that narrative.

jevoten 5y ago

> The incident comes amid reports of an airstrike on a telecom hub It seems deliberate. Easier to wage war without atrocity videos leaking out.

lostlogin 5y ago
Was this ever a concern?
- sofixa 5y ago
  MBS is trying to whitewash the blood on his hands ( e.g. the recent acquisition of Newcastle United), so at least somewhat.

AnAmericanPOV64 5y ago

slim 5y ago

I think this is the first time in history a belligerent targets internet infrastructure. it wont be the last time.

tomohawk 5y ago

This was a retaliatory strike in response to an attack by Houthis on UAE. Recent info about what's going on: https://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2022/01/houthis-launch-aerial-attack-against-uae-capital-abu-dhabi.php https://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2022/01/houthis-laun...