Microsoft's Azure cloud services have been disrupted by undersea cable cuts in the Red Sea, the US tech giant says.
The company said Azure users would experience delays because of problems with internet traffic moving through the Middle East. Azure is among the world's leading cloud computing platforms.
Microsoft did not explain what might have caused the cuts to the undersea cables. It added that it had rerouted traffic through other paths.
Over the weekend, there were reports suggesting that undersea cable cuts affected the United Arab Emirates and countries in Asia.
An update posted on the Microsoft website on Saturday stated that Azure traffic going through the Middle East may experience increased latency due to undersea fibre cuts in the Red Sea. The company emphasized that traffic that does not traverse through the Middle East is not impacted.
Cables laid on the ocean floor serve as a vital backbone of the internet, transmitting data between continents.
NetBlocks, an organization that monitors internet access, noted that a series of subsea cable cuts in the Red Sea had impacted internet services in several countries, including India and Pakistan. The Pakistan Telecommunication Company confirmed the incident, stating that cable cuts occurred in waters near the Saudi city of Jeddah, warning that internet services could be affected during peak hours.
Services were also disrupted in the United Arab Emirates.
Undersea cables can be damaged by ships dropping anchors but can also be targeted in attacks. In February 2024, multiple communications cables in the Red Sea were cut, affecting data traffic between Asia and Europe.
The incident occurred after warnings from Yemen's internationally recognized government about possible sabotage by the Iran-backed Houthi movement. The Houthis have denied targeting cables.
In the Baltic Sea, a series of undersea cables and gas pipelines have been damaged in suspected attacks since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Earlier this year, Swedish authorities seized a ship suspected of damaging a cable running under the Baltic Sea to Latvia, with prosecutors indicating possible sabotage.
