Undersea cable disruptions in the Red Sea have impacted internet connectivity in parts of Asia and the Middle East, according to experts on Sunday. The cause of the incident remains unclear at this time.
There have been concerns that the cables in the Red Sea were deliberately targeted in a campaign by Yemen’s Houthi rebels. The rebels claim this action is a way to pressure Israel regarding its Gaza Strip attacks against Hamas. However, the Houthis have previously denied responsibility for attacking the undersea cables.
Undersea cables are vital components of the internet infrastructure, alongside satellite connections and land-based cables. Internet service providers typically have multiple access points and can redirect traffic in case of a failure, although this may result in slower access for users.
Microsoft issued a statement via a status website indicating that the Middle East region could experience latency issues due to undersea fiber cuts in the Red Sea. The company did not provide further details but mentioned that internet traffic not passing through the Middle East remains unaffected.
NetBlocks, a monitoring organization for internet access, reported that a series of subsea cable outages in the Red Sea has led to degraded internet connectivity in various countries, including India and Pakistan. The organization attributed these issues to failures affecting the SMW4 and IMEWE cable systems near Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
The disruption has affected the South East Asia–Middle East–Western Europe 4 cable operated by Tata Communications and the India-Middle East-Western Europe cable managed by a consortium overseen by Alcatel-Lucent. Both companies have not yet responded to inquiries for comments.
In the United Arab Emirates, users on Du and Etisalat networks have reported slower internet speeds. The government has not officially acknowledged the disruption.
Subsea cables can be damaged by anchors from ships or deliberate attacks. Repairing such damage can be a lengthy process as it requires locating the damaged cable and deploying a ship and crew for repairs.
The Houthi rebels in Yemen have denied responsibility for the recent undersea cable cuts. This incident occurs amid ongoing conflicts between the Houthis and Israel over the Gaza situation. The Houthis have previously been accused of planning attacks on undersea cables, but they deny involvement in such actions.
During a ceasefire period, the Houthi attacks paused temporarily, but they resumed their activities with airstrikes targeting vessels. The situation remains tense as the ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas conflict hangs in the balance, while talks between the U.S. and Iran regarding Iran’s nuclear program face uncertainty after recent military actions.
The Houthis’ actions have raised concerns about escalating tensions in the region. The international community is closely monitoring the situation for further developments.