Microsoft warns prospects of ‘elevated latency’ in connectivity and says efforts are below 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 big 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 induced the cuts.
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In a standing replace printed to its web site, Microsoft mentioned “community site visitors traversing via the Center East might expertise elevated latency as a result of undersea fiber cuts within the Pink Sea”. The worldwide software program big mentioned its Azure cloud computing companies, the world’s second largest after Amazon, had been affected by the cuts however added that normal community site visitors was not impacted.
“Community site visitors that doesn’t traverse via the Center East is just not 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 sluggish speeds and intermittent entry”.
NetBlocks mentioned the connectivity points had been as a result of failures within the SMW4 and IMEWE cable methods 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 “might expertise some degradation throughout peak hours”, including that its worldwide companions had been working to resolve the problem.
Undersea cables kind the web’s spine, carrying world information site visitors. The Center East serves as a vital hub linking Asia and Europe. They’re susceptible to wreck by ships’ anchors, however will also be focused in assaults, which might 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 companies for materials obtained via 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.
