Microsoft's Azure cloud services have been disrupted by undersea cable cuts in the Red Sea, the US tech giant has announced.
The company indicated that Azure users would experience delays due to issues with internet traffic in the Middle East, where Azure has a significant presence. Microsoft did not specify the causes behind the cable cuts but has rerouted traffic through alternative pathways.
Reports emerged over the weekend indicating that the undersea cable issues were also affecting internet connectivity in the United Arab Emirates and various countries across Asia.
An update on Microsoft’s service status page on Saturday mentioned that Azure traffic in the Middle East might experience increased latency due to the undersea fiber cuts. However, traffic routes not passing through the region remain unaffected.
Undersea cables are crucial for global data exchange and are often referred to as the backbone of the internet. Recently, NetBlocks, an organization monitoring internet access, alerted that multiple subsea cable cuts in the Red Sea were impacting internet services in several countries, including India and Pakistan.
On Saturday, the Pakistan Telecommunication Company confirmed that the cable disruptions occurred near Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, warning users that internet services could experience interruptions during peak usage hours.
On Sunday, NetBlocks updated that services were also disrupted in the UAE. It’s notable that undersea cables can be damaged by dropped anchors from ships, yet they can also be targeted in potential sabotage.
This incident follows earlier disruptions from February 2024, when multiple communications cables in the Red Sea were severed, affecting data flow between Asia and Europe. It coincided with concerns raised by Yemen's internationally recognized government about possible sabotage by the Iran-backed Houthi movement, which the Houthis denied.
Recent tensions have also seen disruptions to undersea cables in the Baltic Sea, amidst suspected sabotage linked to geopolitical conflicts like Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
