Microsoft restores Azure after Red Sea undersea cable cuts

Microsoft said its Azure cloud platform returned to normal service after “undersea fiber cuts” in the Red Sea on Saturday, which disrupted Azure services across the Middle East and caused increased latency for some users. Microsoft rerouted traffic through alternate paths and reported that latency issues were resolved by the same evening.

What happened

• Incident: multiple undersea fiber cable cuts in the Red Sea that affected Azure routing and increased latency.
• Impact: disruptions across the Middle East; Microsoft rerouted traffic to restore service the same day.
• Cause: Microsoft did not provide a confirmed cause. Undersea cables sit on the ocean floor and can be damaged accidentally (e.g., ship anchors) or intentionally; past incidents have included claims of deliberate cuts.

Timeline

• Reported: September 6–7, 2025 (initial reports and status updates).
• Resolution: Microsoft said routing changes resolved the latency by Saturday evening.

Sources

• TechCrunch: Microsoft says Azure affected after cables cut in the Red Sea
• Tom’s Hardware: Red Sea cable cut takes Azure routes down
• Microsoft Azure status page

Why it matters

Undersea cables carry the majority of international internet traffic. Breaks or cuts can cause regional disruptions and increased latency until traffic is rerouted or repairs are completed. Microsoft noted that physical repairs can take time and said it will continuously monitor and optimize routing to reduce customer impact.

Questions for the community

What redundancy strategies should cloud providers and enterprises prioritize to reduce the impact of undersea cable failures? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Originally reported by TechCrunch; this post compiles official statements and reporting for clarity.