Reports from Israeli news outlet Globes indicate that internet communications between Europe and Asia have been disrupted following damage to four underwater communication cables in the Red Sea by Houthi rebels.
The damaged cables, situated between Jeddah in Saudi Arabia and Djibouti in East Africa, have primarily affected Gulf countries and India. Repairing these cables, reportedly owned by companies AAE-1, Seacom, EIG, and TGN, may require up to eight weeks, with repair efforts potentially facing risks from the Houthis.
While the damage is significant, it is not deemed critical as other cables in the region connecting Asia, Africa, and Europe remain intact.
Seacom, although acknowledging cable issues, has not attributed blame to any specific group according to reports from Data Centre Dynamics.
The affected cables, including EIG, TGN Atlantic, AAE-1, and Seacom, play crucial roles in connecting various regions, facilitating internet connectivity between Southern Europe, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Djibouti, the UAE, India, East Asia, Europe, Africa, and India, among others.
NetBlocks, an internet monitoring firm, confirmed disruptions to internet services in Djibouti, possibly due to cable damage, particularly affecting the Djibouti Data Center.
The situation in the Red Sea has escalated due to repeated drone and missile strikes by Houthi rebels since November, with the intention to support Palestinians in Gaza. Despite retaliatory strikes by U.S. and British forces on Houthi facilities, the attacks persist.
In a further escalation, the Iran-aligned Houthis have issued formal notices to shipping officials and insurers, banning vessels linked to Israel, the U.S., and Britain from sailing in surrounding seas, as part of their military campaign, according to advisories seen by Reuters.
