"Red Sea Ship Sinking Disrupts Telecommunications Across Asia, Europe, and the Middle East"
The U.S. assesses that the sinking of the U.K.-owned commercial ship Rubymar, likely caused by a Houthi missile attack, resulted in the severing of three global telecommunications cables under the Red Sea by the ship's anchor. This incident has significantly impacted communication networks in the Middle East. The Houthis have been targeting commercial ships to protest the war in Gaza, with the Rubymar being the first ship to sink as a result of their attacks. The ship also poses an environmental risk due to the fertilizer it was carrying. Despite U.S. airstrikes against the Houthis, their attacks have persisted, with the recent attack on the Liberian-owned commercial ship True Confidence resulting in fatalities.