Microsoft Reports Delays in Middle East Cloud Services After Undersea Cable Cuts
Microsoft has confirmed that its Azure cloud platform is facing disruptions in parts of the Middle East due to damage to undersea fibre cables in the Red Sea.
The company explained that the issue, which began on Saturday, is slowing down traffic routed through the region. However, services that bypass the Middle East remain unaffected.
Independent watchdog group NetBlocks also flagged multiple submarine cable outages in the Red Sea, which have weakened internet connections in several countries, including India and Pakistan.
Global internet lines often trace shipping routes through the Red Sea, but tensions have risen since late 2023, when Yemen’s Houthi rebels began targeting merchant vessels in support of Palestinians during the Gaza conflict. This has sparked wider concerns over the safety of critical infrastructure in the area.
The scale of this challenge is massive—around 1.4 million kilometres of fibre optic cables lie across the ocean floor, carrying the world’s digital lifelines from financial systems to health and education services.
Damage to these cables isn’t unusual. The International Cable Protection Committee estimates 150–200 incidents occur every year, with most cases linked to human activity such as fishing and anchoring. Natural wear and tear, ageing, and equipment failures also play a role.
For now, Microsoft says it is working to mitigate the impact, but the incident highlights just how vulnerable global connectivity remains beneath the waves.
