Telecommunication networks are experiencing disruptions due to damage inflicted on submarine cables in the Red Sea. Providers must redirect up to 25% of traffic between Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, including internet traffic.
Reports from HGC Global Communications, a Hong Kong-based telecoms company, indicate that cables owned by four major telecom networks have been cut, leading to significant disruptions in communication networks across the Middle East.
In a statement released on Monday, HGC disclosed that approximately 25% of traffic between Asia, Europe, and the Middle East has been impacted. The company is actively rerouting traffic to minimize disruption for its customers and is offering assistance to affected businesses.
However, HGC did not reveal the cause of the cable damage or identify any parties responsible.
According to Seacom, a South Africa-based company that owns one of the affected cable systems, repairs are not expected to commence for at least another month. This delay is partly due to the lengthy process of obtaining permits to operate in the affected area.
The damage to cables in the Red Sea follows warnings from the official Yemeni government weeks earlier, cautioning about potential targeting of cables by Houthi rebels. These Iranian-backed militants have previously disrupted global supply chains by attacking commercial vessels in this strategic waterway.
Israeli news outlet Globes reported last week that the Houthis were allegedly responsible for the cable damage. However, Yemeni rebel leader Abdel Malek al-Houthi denied these accusations, stating, “We have no intention of targeting sea cables providing internet to countries in the region.”
Subsequently, the Houthis have shifted blame to British and US military units operating in the area for the damage, as reported by the rebels’ official news agency on Saturday.
