Microsoft Azure Cloud Services Hit by Red Sea Undersea Cable Cuts
Microsoft confirmed disruptions to its Azure cloud services after undersea cable cuts in the Red Sea slowed internet traffic across the Middle East.
The tech giant said that users of Azure — one of the world’s leading cloud computing platforms — may have experienced delays due to connectivity issues in the region. While Microsoft did not specify the cause of the cable damage, the company noted that traffic has since been rerouted through alternative pathways to restore service.
Reports over the weekend indicated that the cable cuts also impacted internet connectivity in the United Arab Emirates and several Asian countries, underscoring the vulnerability of global cloud infrastructure to disruptions in key submarine networks.
#1Red Sea Undersea Cable Cuts Disrupt Microsoft Azure and Internet Services Across Regions
Cables laid along the ocean floor transmit data between continents and are often referred to as the backbone of the internet. When these networks are damaged, the effects can ripple across countries and industries.
On Saturday, Microsoft issued an update confirming that Azure traffic routed through the Middle East “may experience increased latency due to undersea fiber cuts in the Red Sea.” The company emphasized that traffic outside the Middle East remains unaffected.
Independent watchdog NetBlocks also reported that multiple undersea cable cuts in the Red Sea have disrupted internet services in several countries, including India and Pakistan.
The Pakistan Telecommunication Company (PTCL) confirmed the issue in a statement on X (formerly Twitter), noting that the damage occurred in waters near Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. PTCL warned that internet connectivity could be impacted during peak usage hours until repairs are completed.
This incident highlights the fragility of global submarine cable infrastructure, which remains critical to cloud services, global businesses, and everyday internet access.
#2Rising Concerns Over Undersea Cable Sabotage After Red Sea and Baltic Incidents
Undersea internet cables, the invisible backbone of global connectivity, remain highly vulnerable to both accidents and deliberate attacks. While damage is often caused by ship anchors or fishing activity, recent events have raised fears of sabotage as a geopolitical weapon.
In February 2024, several communications cables in the Red Sea were cut, severely impacting internet traffic between Asia and Europe. The incident came just weeks after Yemen’s internationally recognized government warned that the Iran-backed Houthi movement might attempt to sabotage undersea cables and disrupt Red Sea shipping routes. The Houthis, however, denied targeting the infrastructure.
The Red Sea disruption echoes a growing pattern seen in Northern Europe. Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, multiple Baltic Sea undersea cables and gas pipelines have suffered unexplained damage, with many incidents suspected to be deliberate.
Earlier this year, Swedish authorities seized a vessel believed to have damaged a cable running to Latvia. Preliminary findings suggested intentional sabotage, intensifying concerns over the security of submarine infrastructure.
As tensions rise in global hotspots, experts warn that submarine cables—carrying 95% of international data—are increasingly at risk of becoming strategic targets in modern conflicts.
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