Microsoft warns prospects of ‘elevated latency’ in connectivity and says efforts are below method to resolve the difficulty.
Printed 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 warfare on Gaza rages on, mentioned in an announcement.
The assertion on Sunday didn’t give additional particulars about what triggered the cuts.
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In a standing replace revealed to its web site, Microsoft mentioned “community site visitors traversing via the Center East could expertise elevated latency on account 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, have been affected by the cuts however added that basic community site visitors was not impacted.
“Community site visitors that doesn’t traverse via the Center East just isn’t impacted. We’ll proceed to supply day by day updates, or sooner if circumstances 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 nations, together with Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, the United Arab Emirates and India, “leading to sluggish speeds and intermittent entry”.
NetBlocks mentioned the connectivity points have been on account 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 an announcement on X warning prospects that the nation “could expertise some degradation throughout peak hours”, including that its worldwide companions have been working to resolve the difficulty.
Undersea cables kind the web’s spine, carrying international knowledge site visitors. The Center East serves as a important hub linking Asia and Europe. They’re susceptible to break 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 have been minimize, 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 info, together with intercepted Palestinian cellphone calls within the occupied West Financial institution and the Gaza Strip for Israel’s navy, based on an investigation by The Guardian, +972 Journal and Native Name.
Microsoft has denied data that Israel’s cyber-intelligence division, Unit 8200, was utilizing its cloud providers 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.
