This weekend, disruptions to Microsoft’s Azure Cloud services occurred after undersea cables in the Red Sea were found damaged, leading to latency issues for users across the Middle East. Microsoft issued a status warning indicating that although they have rerouted some traffic, services dependent on connections through the affected region may still suffer delays until repairs can be made.

As Azure is a key provider for numerous businesses, this outage is likely to impact many users, particularly in areas such as the United Arab Emirates and parts of Asia. The time it will take to rectify this situation remains uncertain.

“We do expect higher latency on some traffic that previously traversed through the Middle East until the undersea fiber cuts are fully addressed. Network traffic that does not traverse through the Middle East is not impacted,” Microsoft stated on its Azure status website.

The reason for the cable damage has not been revealed, leading to speculation that it could be accidental or even a result of sabotage, echoing previous incidents reported in the Baltic Sea.

Not only do these disruptions affect connectivity but they could also have broader implications, crippling the ability of affected regions to communicate effectively, both internally and internationally. Azure’s involvement in ongoing geopolitical matters has also led to further scrutiny and protests against the company.