Red Sea cable cuts disrupt global internet, raising geopolitical concerns

On September 6, 2025, a series of undersea cable cuts in the Red Sea triggered widespread internet outages across parts of Asia and the Middle East, affecting millions of users and exposing the fragility of global digital infrastructure. The disruptions, which began at 05:45 UTC near Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, impacted two critical submarine cable systems: the South East Asia-Middle East-Western Europe 4 (SMW4) and the India-Middle East-Western Europe (IMEWE) cables. These cables are vital for global communications, carrying approximately 17% of the world's internet traffic between Europe, Asia, and Africa. The incident has raised concerns about the vulnerability of undersea cables and the potential for deliberate sabotage amid ongoing geopolitical tensions in the region.

Impact on digital infrastructure and services

The cable cuts caused significant disruptions to internet connectivity, with countries such as India, Pakistan, and the United Arab Emirates reporting the most severe effects. Users of state-owned networks like Du and Etisalat in the UAE experienced slower internet speeds, while Pakistan Telecommunications Co. Ltd. confirmed the outages in a public statement. Microsoft reported increased latency for its Azure cloud services in the Middle East, noting that traffic not routed through the region remained unaffected. To mitigate the impact, service providers rerouted traffic through alternative pathways, such as the India-Europe-Xpress cable, though this led to noticeable slowdowns for users.

The Red Sea is a critical hub for global telecommunications, with multiple submarine cables converging in a narrow maritime corridor. This geographical bottleneck creates a "single point of failure" making the region particularly susceptible to disruptions. Subsea cables carry over 95% of international data traffic, including internet content, financial transactions, and government communications, underscoring their importance to the global economy. The outages disrupted not only personal internet usage but also critical services like cloud computing, e-commerce, and international banking, highlighting the systemic risks of relying on a limited number of undersea routes.

Geopolitical tensions and suspicions of sabotage

While the exact cause of the cable cuts remains unclear, speculation has centered on Yemen's Houthi rebels, who have been engaged in a campaign against Israel in response to the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip. The Houthis have a history of targeting maritime assets in the Red Sea, having attacked over 100 ships with missiles and drones between November 2023 and December 2024, sinking four vessels and killing at least eight mariners. In early 2024, Yemen's internationally recognized government in exile accused the Houthis of planning attacks on undersea cables, though the group denied responsibility for similar incidents at the time. On September 7, 2025, the Houthi-operated Al-Masirah satellite news channel acknowledged the cable cuts, citing NetBlocks, but did not confirm involvement.

Moammar al-Eryani, the information minister of Yemen's anti-Houthi government, suggested that the cable cuts were part of the Houthi militia's broader campaign of attacks, a claim that aligns with regional concerns about the weaponization of digital infrastructure. However, accidental causes, such as damage from ship anchors, cannot be ruled out. The International Cable Protection Committee estimates that 80% of undersea cable incidents are caused by human activities like fishing or anchoring, with the remainder attributed to natural hazards. Despite these possibilities, the timing of the cuts, amid heightened regional tensions, has fueled suspicions of deliberate sabotage.

Technical and logistical challenges of repairs

Repairing undersea cables is a complex, time-consuming, and costly process. Specialized vessels equipped with advanced technology are required to locate and repair damaged cables, which lie deep on the ocean floor. According to industry estimates, repairs can cost between $1 and $3 million per incident and take weeks or even months to complete. In the Red Sea, the process is further complicated by ongoing regional instability, including Houthi attacks and restrictions imposed by the Yemeni government. In 2024, Reuters reported that repair efforts for three major cables were delayed due to the Yemeni government's refusal to grant access to repair teams, a situation that could recur.

The SMW4 cable, operated by Tata Communications, spans 18,800 kilometers and connects countries from France to Singapore, with a capacity of 4.6 Tbit/s following a 2015 upgrade. The IMEWE cable, managed by a consortium led by Alcatel Submarine Networks, stretches 12,091 kilometers and links Europe to India via the Middle East. Neither Tata Communications nor Alcatel-Lucent has issued an official statement on the 2025 outages, leaving uncertainty about the timeline for repairs.

Broader implications for global connectivity

The Red Sea cable cuts underscore the vulnerability of global internet infrastructure, particularly in geopolitically sensitive regions. The incident has accelerated discussions about the need for diversified connectivity solutions. Satellite internet services, such as SpaceX's Starlink and Amazon's Project Kuiper, are gaining traction as viable backups, especially in the Middle East, where Starlink has recently expanded its operations. While satellite systems cannot match the bandwidth of undersea cables, they offer a critical hedge against regional outages.

The disruptions also highlight the strategic importance of the Red Sea as a digital artery. With 17% of global internet traffic passing through this corridor, any disruption has far-reaching consequences for global trade, communication, and security. The incident has prompted calls for greater investment in resilient infrastructure, including alternative cable routes and enhanced security measures to protect critical systems from both accidental and deliberate damage.

Economic and societal impacts

The outages have had significant economic repercussions, particularly in countries like India and the UAE, which are major hubs for technology and finance. Businesses relying on real-time data, such as financial institutions and e-commerce platforms, faced operational challenges due to increased latency. In Pakistan, where internet connectivity is already strained, the disruptions exacerbated existing challenges, affecting both businesses and individual users. The social impact was also notable, with users reporting difficulties accessing online services, remote work platforms, and social media.

The incident has raised broader questions about the resilience of global internet infrastructure. As digital economies grow, the reliance on a small number of undersea cables increases the risk of widespread disruptions. Policymakers and industry leaders are now under pressure to address these vulnerabilities, balancing the need for secure infrastructure with the challenges of operating in volatile regions.

Future outlook and mitigation strategies

The Red Sea cable cuts serve as a wake-up call for governments, telecom companies, and technology providers to prioritize redundancy and resilience in global connectivity. Proposals for mitigating future risks include:

As repairs continue, users and businesses in the affected regions should prepare for prolonged disruptions. The incident also underscores the need for a global dialogue on securing digital infrastructure, particularly in areas prone to geopolitical instability.