Internet disruptions 2026 are rising again across key regions, according to a new analysis of global Internet outages in the first quarter of 2026 by Cloudflare. The report highlights a renewed wave of government-imposed shutdowns, growing fragility in digital infrastructure in conflict zones, and ongoing exposure to environmental and technical risks across the Middle East and Africa.

To begin with, government-directed shutdowns have returned after a brief decline in the previous quarter. Countries including Uganda, Iran, and the Republic of Congo implemented widespread disruptions. As a result, concerns are rising over the use of Internet access as a tool of political control.

In Iran, the situation was particularly severe. Internet traffic dropped to near zero from January 8 to January 21. Connectivity was heavily restricted through filtering systems, whitelists, and “white SIM cards.” Consequently, only selected users were able to access approved online services and websites.

In addition, election-linked shutdowns continued to affect access. In the Republic of Congo, Internet traffic fell to near zero for approximately 60 hours during the presidential election. This pattern mirrors similar restrictions seen in earlier election cycles, reinforcing the recurring link between political events and connectivity limits.

Meanwhile, the report also highlights rising risks to cloud infrastructure in conflict zones. Drone strikes reportedly damaged AWS data centers in the Middle East. This led to connection failures and operational disruption for globally distributed applications. Furthermore, structural damage, power delivery issues, and fire suppression activities contributed to additional water-related damage in some facilities.

At the same time, environmental and technical challenges continue to weaken network stability. Storms, submarine cable damage, and system failures disrupted services in Portugal, the Republic of Congo, and Orange Guinée in Guinea. These incidents exposed persistent vulnerabilities in core Internet infrastructure.

Overall, the findings indicate a shifting digital risk environment across the Middle East and Africa. Government shutdowns, geopolitical tensions, and infrastructure fragility are increasingly intersecting with climate-related disruptions. As a result, connectivity is becoming more unstable in several critical regions.

Looking ahead, the report emphasizes the need for stronger resilience strategies. Investment in redundancy, regional interconnectivity, and secure network architecture is becoming essential. Finally, Internet disruptions 2026 remain a key concern as digital transformation continues to expand across MEA, making reliable connectivity central to economic growth and stability.

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