Overview

• Yemeni telecom companies affiliated with the legitimate government have raised alarms over Houthi rebels' potential to sabotage undersea internet cables in the Red Sea.
• The Houthis, backed by Iran, have previously targeted Red Sea shipping and are now considered capable of disrupting one of the world's most important digital infrastructures.
• Up to 16 major undersea cables, handling about 17% of the world's internet traffic, run through the Red Sea, making them a strategic target for sabotage.
• Security analysts indicate the Houthis lack the technology for deep-sea operations but could potentially damage cables in shallower waters.
• The threat to undersea cables comes amid ongoing US and British strikes against Houthi military capabilities in response to their attacks on shipping and support for Hamas.