Global internet traffic has been affected by damage to multiple undersea cables in the Red Sea, a region that’s seeing intense conflict between Houthi rebels and Western forces.
“Around 15 percent of Asia traffic goes westbound, while 80 percent of that traffic will pass through these submarine cables in the Red Sea.”
HGC claimed to have devised a plan to reroute the affected traffic, including diversifying it within the remaining 11 submarine cable systems in the Red Sea. The company didn’t reveal how the cables were damaged or if anyone intentionally damaged them.
Repairing the cables could take up to eight weeks and risks exposing workers to Houthis, the report states. As such, telecom companies may have to pay a high premium to hire people to handle the repairs.
HGC pointed out that while the damage was significant, it wasn’t critical since other cables passing through the same region linking Europe, Africa, and Asia weren’t damaged.
Houthi leader Abdel Malek al-Houthi denied that the group was involved in damaging the cables.
“We have no intention of targeting sea cables providing internet to countries in the region,” he said, according to CNN.
The Yemeni government blamed military action against the Houthis by the United States and the UK for damaging the cables.
“Seacom still continues to carry traffic on its own cable between Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, and South Africa for both transmission and IP services,” it stated.
“All other IP-based services destined for Europe and other regions were automatically rerouted via Seacom’s alternative routes.”
The Asia-Africa-Europe-1 cable provides internet to multiple countries including India, Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Cambodia, and Vietnam.
Houthi Threat
The Houthis earlier had published a map of the undersea cables in the Red Sea on their Telegram channel, according to The Guardian, with the following accompanying message: "There are maps of international cables connecting all regions of the world through the sea. It seems that Yemen is in a strategic location, as internet lines that connect entire continents—not only countries—pass near it.”Yemen Telecom has made legal and diplomatic efforts over the past few years to persuade global telecom alliances not to have any dealings with the Houthis to prevent the terror group from gaining access to operational information on submarine cables, the outlet stated.
“So far, the cables have been kept safe more so by the Houthis’ relative technological underdevelopment than for a lack of motivation,” she wrote.
“Up to now, the militant group has primarily fought a land war against the internationally recognized government of Yemen and its Saudi and Emirati allies; consequently, they have never developed a highly-trained navy or marine contingent.
“With sufficient time and opportunity, however, the Houthis might be able to adapt some of their maritime tactics to target the vital communication infrastructure. In fact, the shallow waters of the Gulf—which only reach a depth of 100 meters—reduce the need for high-tech submarines to get the job done.”
Ms. Milliken pointed out that three divers were arrested in Egypt in 2013 for trying to cut an undersea cable near the port of Alexandria. Houthis who have undergone combat diver training could employ a similar attack, according to Ms. Milliken.
Pulling off such a task “would need an ally with the capability, [someone with] a submersible plus the ability to locate [the cables],” he said.
As to whether the Houthis could receive such support from its backer Iran, former Royal Navy Cmdr. Tom Sharpe said: “There is nothing I’ve seen in the Iranian orbat [Order of Battle] that could touch these cables, certainly not their submarines.
“Diving is an option but it’s deep and busy so I think it would be pushing it. ... I think this is a bluff.”
