Internet Disruption in Asia and West Asia Tied to Undersea Cable Cuts in Red Sea

Internet connectivity in various regions of Asia, including India, and parts of West Asia was heavily affected due to an unexpected severance of submarine cables in the Red Sea. Experts are unclear as to the origin of the disruption that took place Sunday. There’ve been speculative whispers of Yemen’s Houthi rebels meddling in the Red Sea, purportedly as a tactic to pressurize Israel into halting its military activities in the Gaza Strip. These allegations, however, have been categorically denied by the Houthi faction in previous instances.

The recent series of undersea cable failures in the Red Sea region has had a dramatic impact on online connectivity in several countries, including India and Pakistan. Major impairment was detected in the SMW4 and IMEWE cable systems, stationed near Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, with authorities pointing fingers in their direction. The South East Asia-Middle East-Western Europe 4 cable, incorporated under the management of an Indian business entity, is a key player in this aviation.

Another significant participant in the undersea cable network is a consortium, operating the India-Middle East-Western Europe cable. Both the Indian conglomerate, as well as the consortium, however, remained inaccessible and devoid of immediate comment. In the same vein, Saudi Arabia did not instantly own up to the technological hiccup, and there were no responses to any queries directed their way.

Over in the United Arab Emirates, areas housing the prominent cities of Dubai and Abu Dhabi witnessed an uproar from internet users over their sub-par network speeds. These customers belonged primarily to the state-owned network providers. To match the earlier silence, the government in UAE also refrained from immediately acknowledging the technological disorder.

The recent severance of undersea fibre lines in the Red Sea is causing users in West Asia to grapple with heightened latency. Amidst these events, Yemen’s Houthi rebels continue to clash with Israel, connected in part to the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict in the Gaza Strip. Israel has stood firm, returning fire with airstrikes targeting key rebel leaders.

In the initial months of 2024, accusations were tabled by Yemen’s globally acknowledged exiled government. They claimed that the Houthi rebel faction had hatched plans to target undersea cables in the Red Sea. While several cable cuts were noted, the rebels categorically denied having a role in the ensuing chaos. By Sunday morning, the issue was well within the public’s cognizance.

Between November 2023 and December 2024, there was a worrisome tracking of over 100 marine vessels being targeted by the Houthi rebels, employing missiles and drones. This was reportedly an element of their campaign involving the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip. Their efforts yielded significant results, with the reported sinking of four ships and approximately eight sailors falling victim.

A brief interrupt in the conflict was observed when the Houthis halted their attacks during a ceasefire agreement. This tranquillity, however, was short-lived. The following weeks were dominated by a severe wave of airstrikes aimed specifically at the rebels. It was a period of concentrated military activity against the Houthis.

The rebels retaliated forcefully during the month of July, managing to sink two vessels, an action that resulted in the tragic loss of a minimum of four crew members. There were additional crewmen presumed to have been captured by the rebel forces. The latest spate of Houthi offensives belies the uncertainty that clouds any potential cessation of the Israel-Hamas conflict.

As the chess game of Middle Eastern politics continues, the future state of peace in the Gaza Strip depends much on the conversations between the United States and Iran over Tehran’s struggling nuclear programme. However, the diplomatic path seems to be blurring as Israeli forces launched a 12-day war against the Islamic Republic, a campaign which saw American involvement in the form of three attacks on Iranian nuclear sites.

In this shifting balance of power and ideologies, the undersea cables remain but a pawn, albeit a crucial one. Their role in connectivity is non-negotiable, and the disruptions they suffer have an immediate and lasting impact on our globally connected world. Finding a solution to these disruptions requires more than just technical brilliance; it requires a will towards peace, a goal that seems steeped in complexity in the current scenario.

While the immediate focus may be on restoring access and repairing cables, the long-term vision must be towards preventing such incidents. This not only involves securing the cables but also ensuring a safe and peaceful international environment. The recent incidents, therefore, serve as a reminder of the interconnectedness of our world, both through technology and through the intricate dance of diplomacy and power politics.

The series of events that have unfolded showcase the tenuous nature of the current geopolitical situation and its potential to jeopardize the security of crucial infrastructure. What remains to be seen is how these intricate dynamics continue to shape our world, from the freedom of the internet to the navigation of significant international conflicts. There is a web of causation here, much like the undersea cables themselves, interlinked and ever so vulnerable.