Overview

• Monitoring data and carrier statements point to failures on the SMW4 and IMEWE systems near Jeddah, with Pakistan Telecommunications publicly confirming cuts.
• Users in India, Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates reported slow speeds and intermittent access, including on Etisalat and Du networks, as traffic shifted to longer routes.
• Microsoft said Azure traffic that normally traverses the Middle East was rerouted, warned of higher latency on affected paths, and later reported services in the Middle East as operational after mitigation.
• The cause remains under investigation, with reports noting prior Red Sea faults and regional security risks but no verified attribution for the latest damage.
• Operators caution that repairing submarine cables requires specialized vessels and clear access, so increased latency on Europe–Asia routes could persist for weeks.