PARIS, France, July 27: French rail company SNCF has issued a warning that disruptions caused by Friday's sabotage of the country's train network could extend through the weekend and impact hundreds of thousands of passengers.

The coordinated arson attacks, which targeted three lines of the high-speed TGV network, created significant travel chaos just hours before the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics. A fourth planned attack was thwarted by vigilant rail workers.

Prime Minister Gabriel Attal condemned the attacks as "acts of sabotage," while SNCF indicated that the recovery process is underway. In a statement released Friday evening, SNCF outlined improvements expected for Saturday:

• Eastern Line: Trains will resume normal operations starting at 06:00 local time (05:00 BST).
• Northern Line: Approximately 80% of trains will be running, with delays expected to be between 1-2 hours.
• South-Western Line: About 60% of trains will be operational, with similar delays of 1-2 hours.

SNCF also promised to notify passengers of any delays or cancellations via email or text message.

Eurostar, which utilizes the northern high-speed line, anticipates that around 20% of its services will be canceled over the weekend, with all trains facing delays of approximately 1.5 hours.

To address the situation, SNCF has bolstered surveillance with the deployment of 1,000 workers and 50 drones. Junior Transport Minister Patrice Vergriete reported that about 250,000 people were affected on Friday, with the number potentially rising to 800,000 by Monday due to ongoing delays and cancellations. He suggested that the primary goal of the saboteurs may have been to disrupt holiday travel, rather than targeting the Olympic opening ceremony.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attacks. An AFP source linked to the investigation described the operation as "well-prepared" and orchestrated by a "single structure."

On Friday at approximately 04:00, saboteurs cut and ignited specialized fiber optic cables crucial for rail safety. One attack site was located in Courtalain, 150 km (93 miles) south-west of Paris. A photograph online purportedly showed burnt cables and discarded protective SNCF paving stones.

The attacks also occurred in Pagny-sur-Moselle, near Metz, and Croisilles, near Arras. Another attempt in Vergigny, southeast of Paris, was successfully halted by SNCF maintenance workers present at the site.

Prosecutors have launched an investigation into the attacks, which they are treating as a threat to "the fundamental interests of the nation."