Imagine waking up and your internet is crawling—or even gone—because something mysterious just happened deep under the sea. That’s exactly what millions experienced as a suspected attack or accident cut critical undersea cables in the Red Sea, plunging parts of Asia and the Middle East, including Pakistan, into a digital dark age.

On Sunday, the world watched as an AI generated newscast about the Red Sea blackout sent shockwaves across social media. The cause of this internet meltdown remains shrouded in mystery. Was it sabotage? Technical failure? Or the latest move in a global cyber chess game? Official reports are scarce, but the timing couldn’t be more dramatic. Over the past year, Yemen’s Houthi rebels have been accused of targeting infrastructure in the region, and their ongoing campaign has kept the world on edge. Even as the Houthis deny attacking the cables—claiming their fight is about stopping Israel’s war in Gaza—their reputation for chaos precedes them. Meanwhile, tech giant Microsoft confirmed what millions already felt: higher internet latency was gluing screens and slowing life across the Middle East, but traffic outside the region was spared the disruption.

NetBlocks, the watchdog that keeps tabs on the world’s online pulse, confirmed it: not one, but several major undersea cables were cut near Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. That struck at the SMW4 and IMEWE fiber lifelines, showing just how fragile the global internet really is. Saudi authorities and governments hit hardest—like Pakistan and the UAE—have shown little willingness to comment, even as their citizens took to Twitter and TikTok to complain about molasses-speed connections on the nation’s biggest networks, Du and Etisalat.

This isn’t the first time the Red Sea’s secrets have been linked to international drama. Back in early 2024, Yemen’s government-in-exile warned the world that Houthi rebels were plotting to cut internet cables. While several were slashed, the rebels shrugged off responsibility, even as their al-Masirah satellite channel reported the outages this week. With over 100 ships targeted by Houthis since late 2023—including four sunk and at least eight mariners lost—the region is no stranger to high-stakes conflict spilling into the digital world.

As the AI generated newscast about the Red Sea cable cut continues to unfold, people are left waiting for answers. Is this the new face of modern warfare, where wars are fought over data as much as territory? One thing’s certain: when something as simple as a cable under the sea can bring your TikTok, emails, and video calls to a halt, the world suddenly feels a lot smaller—and a lot more vulnerable.