• Damage to submarine cables in the Red Sea causes telecommunication network disruptions.
• HGC refrains from revealing the cause of the cable damage or identifying responsible parties.
• This shifts blame to British and US military units for the damage, according to their official news agency.

Telecommunication networks are experiencing interruptions because of damage to submarine cables in the Red Sea. Providers are forced to redirect up to 25% of traffic between Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, which includes internet traffic.

According to reports from Hong Kong-based telecoms company HGC Global Communications, cables belonging to four major telecom networks have been cut, leading to substantial disruptions in communication networks across the Middle East.

HGC, in a statement released on Monday, disclosed that approximately 25% of traffic between Asia, Europe, and the Middle East has been impacted. The company is actively redirecting traffic to minimize disruption for its customers and is aiding affected businesses.

Yet, HGC refrained from disclosing the cause of the cable damage or identifying any responsible parties.

South Africa-based Seacom, the owner of one of the affected cable systems, stated that repairs are not anticipated to begin for at least another month. This delay is partly due to the extensive process of obtaining permits to work in the affected area.

The damage to cables in the Red Sea comes after warnings from the official Yemeni government weeks earlier about the potential targeting of cables by Houthi rebels. These Iranian-backed militants have previously disrupted global supply chains by attacking commercial vessels in this strategic waterway.

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Israeli news outlet Globes reported last week that the Houthis were purportedly responsible for the cable damage. However, Yemeni rebel leader Abdel Malek al-Houthi refuted these allegations. He said, “We have no intention of targeting sea cables providing internet to countries in the region.”

Following this, the Houthis have redirected blame to British and US military units operating in the area for the damage, as reported by the rebels’ official news agency on Saturday.