Red Sea Cable Cuts Disrupt Internet Across Asia and Middle East
The global internet is once again facing a serious reminder of its fragility after key undersea cables in the Red Sea were cut, leading to widespread disruption across parts of Asia and the Middle East. The incident, reported on September 7, 2025, has slowed or degraded online services in countries including India, Pakistan, and the United Arab Emirates, while raising fresh concerns about the vulnerability of digital lifelines that underpin modern economies.
What Happened?
Two major submarine cables — the SEA-ME-WE 4 (SMW4) and the India-Middle East-Western Europe (IMEWE) systems — sustained damage near Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. These cables are among the primary arteries connecting South Asia and the Gulf to Europe and beyond, carrying massive amounts of data traffic every day.
According to NetBlocks, an internet monitoring watchdog, connectivity levels in India, Pakistan, and the UAE sharply dropped following the incident. Microsoft, in its service updates, confirmed higher latency in the Middle East but reassured users outside the region that traffic rerouting kept global services largely intact.
Possible Causes
The precise cause of the cable cuts remains uncertain. However, speculation immediately turned toward the ongoing conflict in Yemen, where Houthi rebels have previously issued threats against maritime and communication infrastructure.
Although the Houthis have not directly claimed responsibility, their affiliated media outlet al-Masirah acknowledged the outages, citing monitoring reports from NetBlocks. Past events, including the February 2024 severing of multiple cables in the Red Sea, have fueled suspicion that these disruptions may not always be accidental.
Still, experts caution that undersea cables are inherently vulnerable to non-military hazards as well. Anchors from ships, geological movements, and accidental dredging frequently damage submarine lines worldwide. The challenge lies in distinguishing between routine accidents and deliberate sabotage.
Why It Matters
Undersea fiber-optic cables carry over 95% of the world’s internet traffic. They enable everything from international banking transactions to video calls and cloud services. Even a localized disruption can ripple through global networks, leading to slower speeds, patchy connections, and increased costs for rerouted traffic.
Repairing the Red Sea cables will not be quick. Specialized ships must be dispatched to the site, locate the exact break, and carefully lift and repair the damaged sections — a process that usually takes several weeks. During that time, businesses and consumers in the affected regions will likely face sluggish internet performance.
The incident also highlights a growing geopolitical risk: as digital infrastructure becomes central to economies and national security, it is increasingly being viewed as a strategic vulnerability. In conflict zones, cables can be tempting targets, not only for their economic impact but also as a show of force.
Broader Context
This is not the first time the Red Sea has seen such disruption. In the past two years:
February 2024: Multiple cables, including the AAE-1 and SEACOM lines, were cut in incidents blamed on drifting ship anchors.
Early 2025: The EIG and PEACE cables experienced breaks that added further strain to regional connectivity.
Other Global Events: Similar disruptions have occurred in the Mediterranean and near Taiwan, often sparking debate over whether they were accidental or deliberate.
These repeated incidents have amplified calls for more resilient internet architecture, including additional routes that avoid chokepoints like the Red Sea, which is one of the busiest maritime corridors in the world.
What Comes Next
Telecom operators are expected to reroute as much traffic as possible through alternative cables, though this can create congestion and slower speeds. Repair ships will likely take weeks to restore the damaged lines, meaning users in India, Pakistan, and Gulf countries may need to brace for persistent connectivity issues.
At the policy level, the disruption will add urgency to international discussions about protecting subsea infrastructure. While new cable projects are underway, the recurring crises underscore the difficulty of safeguarding fragile undersea lines in politically volatile waters.
The Red Sea cable cuts serve as yet another wake-up call about the hidden vulnerabilities of the internet. Invisible to most users but essential to daily life, submarine cables form the backbone of the global economy. Whether caused by accident or sabotage, their disruption highlights how conflicts on land can extend to the unseen highways beneath the sea.
As the world becomes more interconnected, ensuring the security and resilience of these fragile strands of glass will be as important as securing energy supplies or trade routes. The latest incident is not just a regional problem — it is a global reminder that the internet’s strength is only as secure as the weakest point in its vast, undersea network.
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