These cables are fibre-optic lines laid on the seabed.

The seabed is the ground at the bottom of the sea.

A research analysis from the Istituto Affari Internazionali says roughly 90 percent of data flows between Europe and Asia pass through the narrow seabed routes of the Red Sea and Gulf region.

Here, seabed routes are paths for cables that run along the bottom of the sea.

The treaty does not set up an international police force to patrol the seabed, and the supplied legal analysis says it does not give states a general right to board vessels in peacetime on the high seas just because they suspect cable damage.

The seabed is the ground at the bottom of the sea.

Multiple breaks could be harder to absorb than a single break, which can often be rerouted.

Here, rerouted means that data is sent along a different route.

Operators build spare routes into busy corridors, so one break can often be rerouted.

Here, rerouted means that data is sent along a different cable route.

Multiple breaks could be harder to absorb than a single break, which can often be rerouted.

Here, absorb means to manage the effects of the breaks without too much difficulty.

Several breaks at once are harder to absorb.

Here, absorb means to manage the effects of several breaks.

A cable can be caught by a ship’s anchor or by fishing gear.

Caught by means that an anchor or fishing equipment can snag and hold the cable.

That is one reason a busy crossing can be a point of strength, because many routes meet there, but also a point of risk.

A point of strength is a feature that can help protect or support something.

The analysis says later investigations linked the damage to the anchor of a merchant ship.

A merchant ship is a ship used to carry goods for trade.

They have to arrange repair work, but they cannot simply send a ship wherever they choose.

Arrange repair work means to organize the work needed to fix the cables.

Article 113 says each state must adopt laws making certain cable damage on the high seas a punishable offence.

Adopt laws means to officially make laws that people must follow.

The treaty does not set up an international police force to patrol the seabed, and the supplied legal analysis says it does not give states a general right to board vessels in peacetime on the high seas just because they suspect cable damage.

Board vessels means to get onto ships, usually to inspect or control them.

The same account says about 65 ships worldwide work on communications cables, with around 20 fitted mainly for deep-water repairs.

Fitted means equipped with the tools or features needed for deep-water repairs.

Meanwhile, the repair fleet is small, and delays can keep a damaged connection out of service long after the physical work itself could be done.

Out of service means not working or not available for use.

Spare paths can help carry traffic around one break.

Carry traffic around means to send internet data along another route so it avoids the break.