Multiple undersea fiber optic cables have been severed in the Red Sea, causing internet slowdowns and service degradation across parts of the Middle East and Asia. The disruption began Saturday, impacting connectivity in countries including India, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, with internet monitors and major tech companies confirming the incident. The cause of the cable cuts is not yet known.
According to a report from The Associated Press, internet watchdog NetBlocks identified failures affecting the SMW4 and IMEWE cable systems near Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Microsoft confirmed on Saturday that its Azure cloud users may “experience increased latency,” clarifying that while traffic was rerouted, data traveling through the Middle East was affected. Users in the UAE reported slower speeds on state-owned networks, and Pakistan Telecommunications warned its customers of potential degradation.
While such crucial data conduits can be accidentally damaged by ship anchors, speculation immediately turned to the ongoing regional conflict. Yemen’s internationally recognized government has previously accused Yemen’s Houthi rebels of planning to attack the cables, though the group has denied responsibility for past cuts. Citing NetBlocks, the Houthis’ Al Masirah satellite news channel acknowledged the latest disruption on Sunday. Repairing the subsea lines can take weeks.
