Microsoft warns prospects of ‘elevated latency’ in connectivity and says efforts are underneath strategy to resolve the problem.
Revealed On 7 Sep 2025
Web disruptions have been reported within the Center East and South Asia after a number of undersea cable cuts within the Pink Sea, tech large Microsoft, which has been criticised for its hyperlinks to Israel as its struggle on Gaza rages on, mentioned in a press release.
The assertion on Sunday didn’t give additional particulars about what brought about the cuts.
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In a standing replace revealed to its web site, Microsoft mentioned “community site visitors traversing by the Center East could expertise elevated latency as a result of undersea fiber cuts within the Pink Sea”. The worldwide software program large mentioned its Azure cloud computing providers, the world’s second largest after Amazon, had been affected by the cuts however added that basic community site visitors was not impacted.
“Community site visitors that doesn’t traverse by the Center East isn’t impacted. We’ll proceed to supply each day updates, or sooner if situations change,” it mentioned.
Microsoft mentioned the disruptions began at 05:45 GMT on September 6.
The web connectivity watchdog NetBlocks reported “degraded” web connectivity in a number of international locations, together with Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, the United Arab Emirates and India, “leading to gradual speeds and intermittent entry”.
NetBlocks mentioned the connectivity points had been as a result of failures within the SMW4 and IMEWE cable techniques close to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Pakistan Telecommunications, one of many nation’s largest telecoms suppliers, released a press release on X warning prospects that the nation “could expertise some degradation throughout peak hours”, including that its worldwide companions had been working to resolve the problem.
Undersea cables type the web’s spine, carrying international knowledge site visitors. The Center East serves as a essential hub linking Asia and Europe. They’re susceptible to wreck by ships’ anchors, however may also be focused in assaults, which may trigger widespread disruption.
In early 2024, Yemen’s internationally recognised government-in-exile alleged that the Houthis deliberate to assault undersea cables within the Pink Sea. A number of had been lower, however the Houthis denied being accountable.
On Sunday morning, the Houthis’ Al Masirah TV acknowledged the cuts, citing NetBlocks.
Microsoft’s Azure has been storing data, together with intercepted Palestinian telephone calls within the occupied West Financial institution and the Gaza Strip for Israel’s army, in response to an investigation by The Guardian, +972 Journal and Native Name.
Microsoft has denied information that Israel’s cyber-intelligence division, Unit 8200, was utilizing its cloud providers for materials obtained by mass surveillance, however launched an investigation in August.
Microsoft has fired four employees who participated in protests on firm premises over the agency’s ties to Israel.
