Undersea cables cut in Red Sea, disrupting internet access in UAE and Mideast

Internet users in the United Arab Emirates reported slower speeds over the weekend after several undersea cables in the Red Sea were damaged, disrupting online connectivity across parts of the Middle East and Asia.

Subscribers of the country’s two main telecom providers, Etisalat and Du, complained of reduced internet performance, though the UAE government has not publicly acknowledged the disruption.

E& Group said in a statement, "Dear customers, you may experience slower data services due to an international submarine cable outage. Our technical teams are currently working to address the issue. We will keep you updated. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation."

Experts said the outages stemmed from damage to multiple subsea cable systems near Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, including the South East Asia–Middle East–Western Europe 4 (SMW4) cable operated by Tata Communications and the India–Middle East–Western Europe (IMEWE) cable run by a consortium managed by Alcatel Submarine Networks. Kuwait also confirmed damage to the FALCON GCX cable.

According to NetBlocks, an internet observatory, the cuts have degraded connectivity in several countries, including the UAE, India, and Pakistan. Microsoft also warned that users in the Middle East may face increased latency due to the Red Sea cable failures, though global traffic outside the region remains unaffected.

Repairing such subsea cables is often a lengthy process, requiring specialized ships and crews to locate and fix the breaks. While causes can range from ship anchors to deliberate sabotage, the exact reason for the Red Sea damage remains unclear.

The incident comes amid heightened tensions in the region, where Yemen’s Houthi rebels have repeatedly targeted ships in the Red Sea as part of their campaign against Israel during the Gaza war. The Houthis have denied responsibility for the cable cuts, though their actions have previously raised concerns about the vulnerability of global internet infrastructure in the area.

For now, UAE users may continue to experience slower browsing speeds until traffic is fully rerouted or repairs are completed.