The Nord Stream blasts sent shockwaves across Europe. Communications: Submarine cables carry most of the world’s internet traffic; damage could freeze banking, commerce, and government networks. Submarine cables carry most of the world’s internet traffic; damage could freeze banking, commerce, and government networks. “The Nord Stream case is just the tip of the iceberg,” Hoffmann said. From Nord Stream to the tangled web of global cables, the ocean floor is a hidden yet key battlefield.