Red Sea Undersea Cable Cuts Disrupt Internet In Asia And West Asia

Undersea cable cuts in the Red Sea disrupted internet connectivity Sunday in parts of Asia, including India and Pakistan, and the Middle East, according to experts. The Red Sea serves as a vital route for global data cables, carrying a significant portion of international internet traffic between Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. While the cause remains unclear, concerns persist over potential sabotage amid ongoing regional conflicts.

Internet monitoring group NetBlocks reported failures in the SMW4 cable (operated by India's Tata Communications) and IMEWE cable (managed by an Alcatel-Lucent consortium) near Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Users in the UAE experienced slower speeds on networks like Du and Etisalat, and Microsoft noted increased latency in the Middle East due to the fibre cuts. Neither the cable operator nor Saudi authorities immediately commented.

The incident coincides with Yemen's Houthi rebels' campaign against shipping in the Red Sea, which they claim pressures Israel to end its war with Hamas in Gaza. Since November 2023, the Iranian-backed Houthis have attacked over 100 vessels, sinking four and killing at least eight mariners. Earlier in 2024, Yemen's exiled government accused the rebels of planning cable attacks, though the Houthis denied responsibility for prior cuts and acknowledged Sunday's disruptions via their media.

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This comes amid fragile ceasefires in the Israel-Hamas conflict and uncertainties in U.S.-Iran nuclear talks, following Israel's strikes on Iranian sites. U.S. airstrikes targeted the Houthis earlier, but no direct link to the cables has been confirmed, highlighting vulnerabilities in global digital infrastructure.

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