Microsoft Reports Delays on Azure in Middle East Due to Red Sea Undersea Cable Cuts

TDT | Manama

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Global technology company Microsoft has reported that its Azure cloud computing platform is experiencing delays in parts of the Middle East due to cuts in undersea fiber optic cables in the Red Sea.

The company said the network disruptions began on Saturday, but it did not provide details on the cause of the cable damage. Microsoft added that traffic not passing through the Middle East has not been affected.

Internet monitoring group NetBlocks confirmed that several submarine cable outages in the Red Sea have slowed internet connectivity in multiple countries, including India and Pakistan.

Submarine internet and telecom cables often follow shipping routes through the Red Sea. Concerns over these lines have grown after Yemen's Huthi rebels began attacking passing merchant vessels in late 2023, citing solidarity with Palestinians amid the Gaza conflict.

Traditionally managed by telecom consortia, underwater cables are now increasingly overseen by global tech companies to handle the rising global demand for data. There are around 1.4 million kilometers (900,000 miles) of fiber optic cables on the ocean floor, supporting essential services such as trade, finance, digital health, education, and public services.

Experts say damage to submarine cables is not uncommon, though it can have wide-reaching effects on internet connectivity and cloud services.