Microsoft announced that its Azure cloud platform faced disruptions after undersea cables in the Red Sea were damaged. The company said users encountered delays because internet traffic slowed across the Middle East.
Microsoft reroutes data flows
Microsoft did not explain what caused the cable cuts but confirmed that traffic was redirected through alternative routes. It stressed that services outside the Middle East were unaffected. Reports over the weekend suggested disruptions also struck the United Arab Emirates and several Asian countries.
Seabed cables essential for internet
Cables lying on the ocean floor carry international data and form the backbone of the internet. On Saturday, Microsoft warned that Azure customers in the Middle East could face latency due to the Red Sea fibre cuts.
Global watchdogs note outages
NetBlocks, an organisation monitoring internet access, reported several cable cuts affecting India, Pakistan and other nations. Pakistan’s state telecom provider said the damage occurred in Saudi waters near Jeddah. It warned that peak-hour traffic might worsen the impact.
Investigations focus on possible sabotage
Undersea cables often break due to ship anchors, but they have also been attacked deliberately. In February 2024, multiple Red Sea cables were severed, disrupting data flows between Asia and Europe. That incident followed warnings from Yemen’s recognised government that the Iran-backed Houthi movement might sabotage cables. The Houthis denied responsibility.
Europe faces similar risks
In the Baltic Sea, both undersea cables and pipelines have been damaged repeatedly since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Earlier this year, Swedish investigators detained a ship suspected of damaging a cable to Latvia. Prosecutors said early findings indicated sabotage.
