Fiber optic cables laid in the Red Sea have been severed, disrupting internet services in South Asian and Middle Eastern countries. Among the countries affected by the cable disruption are India, Pakistan, and the United Arab Emirates. Undersea cables are the main system for providing internet, carrying the world’s data traffic. The Middle East region is a crucial hub connecting Asia and Europe. These cables are at risk of damage from ship anchors and potential targeted attacks. When such incidents occur, internet services are disrupted. These issues are often difficult and time-consuming to resolve. Until the problem is fixed, service providers often need to reroute the service.
Several undersea cables have been cut, including the SMW4 and IMEWE systems near Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. While the cause of the cable cuts remains unclear, some analysts studying the situation have suggested a possible connection between the cable disruption and regional conflicts. They point to the ongoing militant activities near Yemen. However, groups operating in the area have stated they have no involvement in cutting the cables. NetBlocks, an organization that monitors internet service levels, has confirmed that internet services in many countries, including Saudi Arabia, India, Pakistan, and the UAE, have been affected. Etisalat and Du, internet service providers in the UAE, have reported slower internet speeds and intermittent service disruptions. Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited, one of the world’s largest telecom companies, also stated that services might be affected during peak hours and that their international partners are working to resolve the issue.
Microsoft has also said that its Azure Cloud service, the world’s second-largest cloud service, may be affected. The company reported that the issue was first noticed at 05:45 GMT on September 6. Microsoft states that the impact on cloud services will be limited to those provided through Middle Eastern cables.
