Microsoft Cloud Services Disrupted After Red Sea Cable Cuts
A sudden disruption beneath the Red Sea has rippled across the world’s digital highways, leading to Cloud Services Disrupted in several regions and slowing internet speeds across parts of Asia and the Middle East. Microsoft has confirmed that multiple undersea cable cuts forced its Azure platform to reroute traffic, resulting in higher latency for countries including Pakistan, India, and the UAE.
Over the weekend, the tech giant acknowledged that damage to submarine cables had degraded internet performance across Asia and the United Arab Emirates. Although Microsoft did not specify the cause of the cuts, it reassured users that Azure traffic was being redirected through alternative network paths to maintain service continuity.
“Network traffic is not interrupted as Microsoft has rerouted traffic through alternate network paths,” Microsoft explained in a statement. “We do expect higher latency on some traffic that previously traversed through the Middle East. Network traffic that does not traverse through the Middle East is not impacted.”
According to the internet monitoring organization NetBlocks, the disruption occurred in the Red Sea near the Saudi port city of Jeddah. The cuts damaged the SMW4 and IMEWE systems, two major submarine cable networks that connect Asia and Europe. This breakdown has resulted in slower internet speeds for millions of users in Pakistan, India, the UAE, and several neighboring countries, further highlighting how quickly Cloud Services Disrupted incidents can affect global connectivity.
Why the Red Sea Matters for Global Data Flow
The Red Sea is one of the world’s most vital internet hubs, carrying nearly 17% of global data traffic through its undersea cables. Damage to these connections is not only disruptive but also extremely difficult and costly to repair, often taking weeks or even months to fully restore.
The recent cable disruptions are suspected to be linked to rising tensions in the region. Some reports connect the damage to activities by Yemen’s Houthi rebels, who have been targeting Israeli interests amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza. However, the Houthis have denied responsibility for similar incidents in the past.
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