Undersea cables cut in Red Sea, interrupting internet in the region

Internet Disruption in Asia and Middle East Due to Undersea Cable Cuts

Over the weekend, experts reported that undersea cable cuts in the Red Sea have caused disruptions to internet access in parts of Asia and the Middle East. The exact cause of the incident has not been determined yet.

There are concerns that the cables may have been targeted as part of a Red Sea campaign by Yemen’s Houthi rebels. The rebels claim that this is an attempt to pressure Israel to end its conflict with Hamas in the Gaza Strip. However, the Houthis have denied responsibility for previous attacks on the undersea cables.

Undersea cables are crucial for internet connectivity, along with satellite connections and land-based cables. While internet service providers typically have multiple access points to reroute traffic in case of failures, disruptions can still occur and slow down access for users.

Multiple Cables Cut Off Saudi Arabia

Microsoft has announced that the Mideast region may experience increased latency 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 is not affected.

NetBlocks, a monitoring organization, reported that a series of subsea cable outages in the Red Sea have impacted internet connectivity in multiple countries, including India and Pakistan. The failures are said to affect the SMW4 and IMEWE cable systems near Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Telecommunication providers in Pakistan have confirmed the cable cuts, while authorities in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait have not acknowledged the disruptions. Internet users in the UAE have also reported slower speeds on the Du and Etisalat networks.

Undersea Cable Cuts: Accidents and Attacks

Subsea cables can be damaged by various factors, including accidental cuts by ships’ anchors or deliberate attacks. Repairing these cables can be a lengthy process as specialized crews need to locate and fix the damaged sections.

The recent cuts to undersea cables coincide with ongoing tensions in the region, particularly between Yemen’s Houthi rebels and Israel. The Houthis have been implicated in previous attacks on undersea cables in the Red Sea, although they have denied involvement.

The disruptions in internet connectivity come amid a series of attacks by the Houthis on ships and a broader conflict in the region involving Israel, Hamas, and other parties. The situation remains volatile, with the future of talks between the US and Iran also uncertain.