The Yemeni Ministry of Telecoms and Information Technology (MTIT) on Tuesday rejected allegations surrounding the breakdown of submarine communication cables in the Red Sea last Saturday, stating that it holds the preservation of all communication cables and their services in high priority and ensures their protection from any potential risks.

It further affirmed readiness to provide the necessary facilities for their maintenance.

The ministry added that the decision to prevent the passage of Israeli ships does not apply to ships belonging to international companies licensed to carry out marine cable maintenance work.

Press Release on Red Sea Submarine Cables Incident
Sana’a
Tuesday, 27February, 2024https://t.co/PpaOOEVFoa… pic.twitter.com/HHjJmXguow

— احمد العزي بديل2 (@ahmdalzybdyl21) February 27, 2024

Earlier in the day, the Israeli newspaper Globes claimed that at least four underwater communication cables were damaged in the sea between Jeddah in Saudi Arabia and Djibouti in East Africa as a result of operations led by the Yemeni armed forces.

It stated that "four submarine communications cables have been damaged in the Red Sea between Jeddah in Saudi Arabia and Djibouti in East Africa."

The head of the Ansar Allah movement Sayyed Abdul-Malik al-Houthi has previously affirmed that there are no intentions of targeting submarine cables, including internet cables connecting to the countries of the region from Sanaa.

Sanaa remains committed to guaranteeing unrestricted navigation in the Arabian Sea, the Red Sea, and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait for all ships, except Israeli vessels and those bound for Israeli ports, until the aggression on Gaza cease. Recent incidents have seen an expansion of targeting to include ships from the US and UK due to the aggression by these countries against Yemen.

السيد القائد عبدالملك بدرالدين الحوثي يرد على شائعة ضرب كابلات الانرنت البحرية

انشروه على اوسع نطاق ردا على حملة العدو الصهيوني المغرضة ..

مع العلم ان الفيديو مترجم الى اللغة الإنجليزيpic.twitter.com/G7Mfy5JDMF

— نَحْنُ أَنْصَارُ الله 🇾🇪 (@ahmd725971) February 27, 2024

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Read more: Sayyed al-Houthi: No intention to cut submarine, internet cables

Not The First Time This Happens

A similar incident occurred last December after news reports wrongfully claimed that Yemen was planning to cut off 99% of the world's internet.

On December 24, several platforms claimed that an Ansar Allah-affiliated Telegram channel shared a photo of the seabed that contains submarine cables that connect several regions of the world and supply them with internet.

The photo was captioned: "There are maps of international cables connecting all regions of the world through the sea. It seems that Yemen is in a strategic location, as internet lines that connect entire continents — not only countries—pass near it."

Once news platforms and users obtained the photo, claims were made accusing the Yemeni Armed Forces of threatening to cut off the world's internet supply in support of Gaza amid the Israeli genocide, and the US' targeting of Yemen in support of "Israel". 

Tracing back to the source of the news, it was found that the Middle East Media Research Institute was behind the spread of the claim, an American organization that has been explicitly pro-"Israel".

The Middle East Media Research Institute is the only original source that kickstarted the frenzy, while other social media platforms only circulated the piece with no substantial evidence that proves its legitimacy, primarily proving its fallacy. 

The second indicator was the absence of a tangible connection between the Telegram channel and Ansar Allah, as well as the absence of an official statement from their side. The news solely relied on a theory that was meant to stir tensions. 

The third indicator was the direct rejection of the claim itself by the Ministry of Telecommunications and Information Technology of Yemen. Only two days after the American research institute made its claims, the Yemeni ministry released a statement denying the accusations and asserting that Yemen intends to keep the cables secure.

Therefore, this rids the initial claim of any validity.