Houthis Blame UK and US for Glitch in Red Sea Undersea Cables

March 3, 2024

USS Mason (DDG 87) has shot down Anti-Ship Ballistic Missiles (ASBM) launched into the Gulf of Aden from Iranian-backed Houthi controlled areas of Yemen. Source: US CENTCOM

The Houthi Transport Ministry in Yemen said on Saturday there had been a "glitch" in undersea communication cables in the Red Sea as a result of actions by U.S. and British naval vessels.

The actions "endangered the security and safety of the international communications and the flow of information," the ministry said in a statement, reported by the Houthi-run Saba news agency, without giving details.

"Any glitch in these cables as a result of the militarization of the Red Sea by U.S. and British naval vessels represents a serious threat to the information security and economic and social stability for all countries of the world," the statement read.

The Houthis, who control the most populous parts of Yemen, have launched exploding drones and missiles at commercial vessels since Nov. 19 as a protest against Israel's military operations in Gaza.

The United States and Britain have carried out several strikes against Houthi targets in response.

(Reuters - Reporting by Ahmed Tolba, Writing by Muhammad Al Gebaly Editing by Alison Williams and Mark Potter)