Microsoft Confirms Azure Latency as Red Sea Cable Cuts Hit Internet Connectivity

A sudden disruption beneath the Red Sea has rippled across digital highways, slowing internet speeds in parts of Asia and the Middle East. Microsoft has confirmed that undersea cable cuts are forcing Azure to reroute traffic, raising latency concerns for countries like Pakistan, India, and the UAE.

Over the weekend, Microsoft confirmed that undersea cable cuts had disrupted internet services in parts of Asia and the United Arab Emirates. While the company did not specify the exact cause of the damage, it assured users that Microsoft Azure traffic has been rerouted through alternate network paths.

“Network traffic is not interrupted as Microsoft has rerouted traffic through alternate network paths,” Microsoft explained. “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-watching firm NetBlocks, the cable cut occurred in the Red Sea near the Saudi city Jeddah. This problem disrupted the SMW4 and IMEWE systems, which are two key routes for internet traffic between Asia and Europe. The damage has slowed internet speeds in countries including Pakistan, India, the UAE, and others in the region.

Why the Red Sea is critical for global data traffic?

The Red Sea is a central hub for global internet connectivity that carries nearly 17% of the world’s data traffic through its submarine cables. Notably, repairs to damaged cables are complex, expensive, and can take weeks or even months to complete.

The recent undersea cable cuts in the Red Sea are suspected to be linked to Yemen’s Houthi rebels. These rebels have been actively targeting Israel in response to its military actions in Gaza. However, the Houthis have denied involvement in previous similar incidents.