This map represents the global underwater cable network.
The Israeli press reported damage to four underwater communication cables in the Red Sea. The AAA-1, Seacom, Europe India Gateway EIG, and TGN system have been damaged. The Houthi rebels, also called Ansar Allah (Supporters of God), is a political and military Shia group that was founded in Yemen during the 1990s and is led by Zaidi religious leader Hussein al Houthi.
The United States designated Houthi as a terrorist group in January 2021. The group started exerting influence in the Red Sea region in 2023 when they attacked Israeli and Yemeni ships with missiles. As per the group, their main goal in attacking military and commercial vessels that may have connections to the Israel-Palestine conflict is to put pressure on Tel Aviv to stop its war on Gaza.
The reported damages to the cables ignited tensions about possible disruptions to intercontinental communications, internet services, financial transactions, commercial shipping, and energy flows through the strategically significant Bab al-Mandab Strait. This narrow water channel is an essential route for international trade and transit of energy raw materials. Any damages to the cables or blocking of the strait has implications, globally.
-Punit Shyam Gore
