Telecommunications networks are grappling with disruptions caused by damage to submarine cables in the Red Sea, prompting providers to reroute a significant portion of traffic between Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, including internet traffic.
Reports from Hong Kong-based telecoms company HGC Global Communications indicate that cables owned by four major telecom networks have been severed, leading to significant disruptions in the Middle East’s communications networks.
In a statement issued on Monday, HGC revealed that an estimated 25% of traffic between Asia, Europe, and the Middle East has been affected. The company is actively rerouting traffic to minimize disruption for its customers and is extending assistance to affected businesses.
However, HGC did not disclose the cause of the cable damage or identify any responsible parties.
According to South Africa-based Seacom, the company owning one of the affected cable systems, repairs are not expected to commence for at least another month. Delays are attributed in part to the lengthy process of obtaining permits to operate in the affected area.
The cable damage in the Red Sea follows warnings from the official Yemeni government weeks earlier, cautioning about potential targeting of cables by Houthi rebels, Iranian-backed militants known for disrupting global supply chains by attacking commercial vessels in the 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, as reported by the rebels’ official news agency on Saturday.
