Lebanon's Internet Connectivity: Cables, Entry Points, and Vulnerabilities
Internet Connectivity in Lebanon: Cables and Entry Points
Lebanon connects to the global internet through four submarine cables: IMEWE (12,091 km, RFS 2010), CADMOS (230 km, RFS 1995), BERYTAR (134 km, RFS 1997), and the upcoming CADMOS-2 (250 km, planned for launch in 2026). These cables land in four coastal cities: Beirut, Jdeideh, Sidon, and Tripoli. Lebanon’s isolation index stands at 60/100, reflecting a moderate vulnerability level, where disruptions to one or more cables could significantly impact connectivity.
Among the active cables, CADMOS and BERYTAR are shorter and primarily serve local connections with neighboring countries, offering limited reliability for global transit. Most international traffic relies on IMEWE, which links Lebanon to Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. This dependence on a small number of routes underscores the importance of robust infrastructure to mitigate risks from accidents or external disruptions.
Traffic Control and Censorship
Lebanon employs mechanisms to manage internet traffic, including DNS-based censorship and resource blocking. GeoCables confirms that all international traffic flows through the monitored submarine cable infrastructure, which remains a critical gateway for connectivity. While GeoCables does not directly measure censorship processes, the integrity and operational status of Lebanon’s submarine cable network are continuously tracked to ensure uninterrupted international traffic flow.
Impact of Conflicts on Connectivity
Lebanon is situated in a region prone to conflict, particularly in the southern areas. GeoCables actively monitors five regions with potential risks to telecommunications infrastructure: Nabatieh, Bekaa, Beirut, Mount Lebanon, and South Lebanon. Over the past 60 days, escalations along the border with Israel, including airstrikes and firefights, have been recorded. GeoCables data confirms a current maximum alert level of 0.033, indicating no immediate threats to submarine cables or terrestrial nodes at this time.
Historical conflicts in the region have caused damage to telecommunications infrastructure, highlighting the critical need for backup routes and diversified entry points to enhance network resilience.
Chokepoints and Vulnerabilities
Lebanon’s internet connectivity faces risks from the limited number of submarine cables and their concentrated landing points. For instance, damage to IMEWE, which handles a significant portion of international traffic, could lead to widespread disruptions. Similarly, the shorter CADMOS and BERYTAR cables are vulnerable due to their limited capacities and reliance on neighboring countries' stability.
Lebanon’s primary transit neighbors, Cyprus and Egypt, play a crucial role in its international traffic routes. Any cable break or blockage along these routes could isolate Lebanon from the global network, emphasizing the importance of redundancy and infrastructure diversification.
What GeoCables Monitors
GeoCables continuously monitors all four submarine cables connecting Lebanon, focusing on their capacity, landing points, and associated risks. IMEWE, as the primary international route, receives special attention, while the future CADMOS-2 is expected to bolster network resilience upon its deployment in 2026. GeoCables also tracks developments in conflict zones to proactively identify and address potential threats to telecommunications infrastructure, ensuring the stability of Lebanon’s connectivity.
