It is currently unknown who cut the undersea cables in the Red Sea in September 2025, though suspicion has fallen on Houthi rebels. Several reports mention Houthi attacks in the Red Sea and concerns about their potential to target cables, but no definitive attribution has been made. The incident caused internet disruptions in parts of Asia and the Middle East, with Microsoft reporting increased latency on its Azure cloud platform.
Details of the Incident:
- What happened:Multiple undersea cables were cut, disrupting internet access in several countries, including parts of Asia and the Middle East.
- Impact:Microsoft’s Azure cloud services experienced increased latency, with traffic to and from Asia and Europe being affected.
- Who is suspected:The Houthi rebels in Yemen have been mentioned as a potential culprit due to their ongoing attacks on shipping in the Red Sea. However, the Houthis have also denied targeting cables in the past.
- How it could have happened:Cables can be cut by anchors being dropped from ships, which is a plausible scenario given the high volume of marine traffic in the region.
- Repair efforts:Fixing undersea cables is a lengthy process, as repair ships must be dispatched to locate the damage and perform the repairs.
