beirut, lebanon – U.S. officials said an undersea communications cable in the Red Sea was severed on Tuesday, disrupting 25 percent of data traffic between Asia and Europe.
US officials told the BBC they were trying to determine whether the cable was jammed or whether it was the result of an anchor being dragged across the ocean floor.
But what are these cables? Who put them there? How important are they?
Here's everything you need to know about the world of submarine cables.
What are submarine cables used for?
communication.
Communication signals and messages travel across the ocean at nearly the speed of light through these cables.
Sixteen fiber optic cables, which account for 17 percent of all international internet data traffic, run along the Red Sea's ocean floor.
Who owns them?
Almost all of the world's submarine cables are owned by private companies, such as carriers and investors.
Only about 1 percent is owned (in part or in whole) by the government.
What will happen if the submarine cable breaks?
In short, global communication is being disrupted.
“Undersea infrastructure is now…a very important element of the global economy and…has the potential to have a disproportionately large impact,” Nick Loxton, head of information at GeoRect, told Al Jazeera.
Remember that 17 percent of all international internet data traffic is in the Red Sea? If all the cables there were removed, communications between Europe and India and East Asia would be disrupted, and communications between North Africa and East Asia would be disrupted. Africa will be hit hard.
Which cable was cut on Tuesday and how?
Four of about 20 undersea cables in the Red Sea – Seacom, TGN Gulf, Asia-Africa-Europe 1 and Europe-India Gateway – were severed on Tuesday, according to cable operator HGC Global Communications.
Authorities are still trying to figure out how it was cut. The theory is that the anchor could have gotten caught in the cable or been deliberately destroyed.
What effect did it have?
In the past, damaged cables have disrupted internet service, but “most businesses that rely on these cables have alternative routes,” Loxton said.
HGC Global said critical traffic through the Red Sea had been rerouted.
Are the Houthis connected to the severed cable?
The Houthis statement Denies responsibility for cutting cable.
In February, the Houthis published a map on their Telegram channel showing cables being laid along the bottom of the Red Sea.
Telecommunications companies linked to Yemen's internationally recognized government opposed to the Houthis said they feared the rebels would target undersea cables.
Loxton commented on the idea: “It is increasingly seen as a valid target for actors involved in violent conflict.” “This is a high-value target that can be targeted at relatively low cost.”
Why did some people think the Houthis did it?
The Houthis have expressed support for the Palestinian people and attacked Israeli-linked ships in the Red Sea.
They recently attacked the Belize-flagged, British-owned bulk carrier Rubimar with two missiles. The ship has been sinking since the attack, continues to leak oil, and there are now concerns that the 41,000 tonnes of volatile fertilizer on board could be dangerous.
Merchant ships sometimes lose their anchors and their cables snap. Loxton pointed out that in 2023, a Russian fiber-optic cable was severed on the Baltic Sea floor when a Chinese container ship dragged its anchor into the ocean floor.
Some experts believe the Houthis will need allied support to damage the cables, while others say they could cause the damage alone. There is.
“I think the proliferation of technology has fundamentally democratized things like drones, allowing operations that previously seemed impossible for relatively unsophisticated non-state actors like the Houthis. , is now completely within reach,” Loxton said.
Where are the world's submarine cables located?
wherever.
Approximately 380 cables are currently in operation, with a total length of more than 1.2 million km (745,645 miles). That's enough to reach the moon and return with enough left behind.
Because cables are often bundled along the ocean floor, damage to multiple cables is common.
The Red Sea has a series of cables running through relatively shallow waters.