Aden -- A widespread internet outage struck major websites and digital services across the globe this week, causing disruptions in countries including Yemen, where access to online platforms is already fragile due to ongoing conflict and infrastructure challenges.

According to reports from Cloudflare and ThousandEyes, the outage was triggered by a combination of technical failures, submarine cable damage, and localized power disruptions, affecting cloud providers, ISPs, and edge networks. The incident, which unfolded over several hours, impacted access to government portals, news sites, banking platforms, and social media services.

Yemen experienced significant connectivity losses, particularly in urban centers like Sana’a, Aden, and Taiz, where users reported difficulty accessing essential services and communication tools. The disruption further complicated humanitarian coordination and digital outreach efforts in the country.

Globally, the outage affected platforms hosted by major cloud providers, with cascading effects on enterprise systems, e-commerce, and public services. ThousandEyes’ Internet Outages Map showed widespread packet loss and service degradation across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.

In addition to technical causes, some regions experienced government-directed shutdowns, including exam-related blackouts in neighboring countries such as Syria and Sudan. While Yemen’s outage was not officially linked to such directives, experts warn that the country’s fragile infrastructure makes it highly vulnerable to ripple effects from regional disruptions.

Cybersecurity analysts also noted that targeted cyberattacks and misconfigured routing protocols may have contributed to the scale of the outage. In some cases, rogue contractors and physical damage—such as a stray bullet hitting terrestrial cables—were cited as causes.

The outage has reignited calls for greater investment in resilient internet infrastructure, especially in conflict-affected regions like Yemen. Digital rights advocates stress the importance of maintaining access to online services for humanitarian coordination, education, and freedom of expression.

As services gradually return to normal, monitoring agencies continue to assess the full impact of the disruption and its implications for global internet health.