13 Shocking Facts About the Red Sea Cable Cuts That Are Messing With Your Internet Vibe 🌊📡
Hey, internet fam! If your Netflix has been buffering like it’s stuck in 2005 or your Zoom calls keep dropping, you might be feeling the ripple effects of a major tech drama unfolding under the Red Sea. Multiple undersea cables—yep, the literal backbone of the internet—have been severed, causing chaos for connectivity between Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Here’s everything you need to know about this wild situation, BuzzFeed style! 😱
1. The Internet’s Underwater Highways Are Down! 🚨
Undersea cables are like the unsung heroes of the internet, carrying 97% of intercontinental data. But on September 6, 2025, multiple cables in the Red Sea got cut, leaving parts of Asia and the Middle East with slower internet speeds and major lag. Talk about a digital disaster
2. It’s Not Just You—Everyone’s Internet Is Acting Up 😩
From Dubai to Pakistan, people are complaining about sluggish internet. Users on UAE’s Du and Etisalat networks reported slower speeds, and even Microsoft confirmed “increased latency” for Middle East traffic. If your TikToks aren’t loading, this might be why
3. Two Major Cables Got Hit Hard 🛠️
The South East Asia–Middle East–Western Europe 4 (SMW4) and India-Middle East-Western Europe (IMEWE) cables, both critical for global connectivity, were damaged near Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. These aren’t just random wires—they connect entire continents
4. Microsoft’s Azure Felt the Burn ☁️
Microsoft’s Azure cloud services took a hit, with the tech giant rerouting traffic to avoid the broken cables. They warned users about “service disruptions” for anyone whose data passes through the Middle East. Don’t worry, though—traffic outside the region is A-OK.
5. Is It Sabotage? The Houthi Connection 🤔
Yemen’s Houthi rebels, who’ve been stirring up trouble in the Red Sea over the Israel-Hamas conflict, are under suspicion. Back in early 2024, Yemen’s government-in-exile claimed the Houthis planned to target these cables. The rebels deny it, but the timing is suspish.
6. Okay, But Maybe It Was Just a Ship’s Anchor? ⚓
Not everything is a conspiracy! Subsea cables can get sliced by ship anchors, and the Red Sea is a busy shipping lane. Some experts think a drifting anchor might be to blame, like when the Rubymar ship sank in 2024 and possibly snagged cables.
7. This Isn’t the First Time This Has Happened 😬
Flashback to March 2024: Four cables, including Asia-Africa-Europe 1 and Europe India Gateway, were cut in the Red Sea, disrupting 25% of traffic between Asia and Europe. Repairs took months because of the region’s instability. Déjà vu, anyone?
8. It’s a Geopolitical Hot Mess 🌍
The Red Sea is a tense spot right now. The Houthis have attacked over 100 ships since November 2023, sinking four and killing at least eight mariners. With U.S. and Israeli airstrikes in the mix, fixing these cables is like trying to repair a phone screen in a war zone.
9. Repairs Could Take Weeks ⏳
Fixing undersea cables isn’t like plugging in a router. Specialized ships have to locate the exact spot of the damage, and in a geopolitically sensitive area like the Red Sea, it could take weeks—or longer. Buckle up for some laggy Zoom calls
10. Tourism Is Taking a Hit Too 🧳
Travelers in Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and the UAE are struggling to book flights, check maps, or post their vacay pics because of the outages. Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 tourism push is feeling the pinch, and Pakistan’s adventure hotspots like Hunza are harder to navigate.
11. Your Fave Companies Are Scrambling 🏃♂️
Big players like Tata Communications (which runs SMW4) and Alcatel-Lucent (overseeing IMEWE) are working to reroute traffic, but they’re staying mum on the details. Pakistan Telecommunications Co. confirmed the cuts, but Saudi and UAE authorities? Total silence.
12. The Internet’s Backup Plan Is Kinda Saving Us 🙌
Thankfully, internet providers have multiple pathways, so they’re rerouting data through cables in mainland China or under the Pacific to the U.S. It’s not perfect (hello, latency!), but it’s keeping us online.
13. This Could Affect You More Than You Think 💻
Even if you’re not in the Middle East or Asia, global internet traffic is interconnected. Congested reroutes could slow down your cloud services, gaming, or even your next binge-watch. Plus, with 90% of Europe-Asia-Middle East traffic flowing through the Red Sea, this is a big deal.
So, What’s Next? 🤷♀️
The cause of these cable cuts is still a mystery—sabotage, accident, or something else? While the Houthis are pointing fingers elsewhere, and companies like Microsoft are in damage-control mode, one thing’s clear: the internet’s underwater highways are in trouble, and it’s gonna take some time to get back to full speed. Stay tuned, and maybe keep a book handy for those buffering moments! 📚
What’s your internet been like lately? Drop a comment and tell us how you’re surviving the lag! 💬
