The United States believes the anchor of a ship attacked by Yemen’s Huthi rebels cut global internet and communication cables under the Red Sea, a defense official said Thursday.
“We currently assess that the damage sustained to the undersea cables… is a result of the Huthis’ February 18 missile attack against the M/V Rubymar, which has now sunk,” the official said.
The attack “forced the crew to drop anchor and abandon ship. Preliminary assessments indicate the anchor dragging along the seafloor is likely to have cut the undersea cables that provide internet and telecommunications service around the world,” according to the official.
The Belize-flagged, Lebanese-operated Rubymar sank on Saturday with 21,000 metric tonnes of ammonium phosphate sulfate fertilizer on board after taking on water since it was hit by the Huthis last month.
The Iran-backed Huthis began attacking ships in the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea in November, a campaign they say is intended to signal solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.
They have vowed to strike Israeli, British and American ships, as well as vessels heading to Israeli ports, disrupting traffic through the vital trade route off Yemen’s shores.
