Iran Strikes Amazon Data Centers in Bahrain as Tech Giants Face Middle East Threat

TLDR

• Iran struck an Amazon Web Services facility in Bahrain, knocking it temporarily offline
• It is the second time Amazon’s Bahrain operations have been hit; UAE data centers were struck earlier
• Iran’s Revolutionary Guard listed 18 U.S. firms as legitimate military targets on March 31
• Companies on the threat list include Microsoft, Nvidia, Google, Apple, Meta, Tesla, and others
• Iran says the strikes target data centers supporting U.S. military and intelligence activity

Amazon’s cloud computing arm has suffered another attack in the Middle East. Iran struck an AWS facility in Bahrain on Wednesday, causing temporary disruption to services.

This is the second time Amazon’s Bahrain operations have been hit. Earlier in the conflict, Iran targeted two AWS data centers in the UAE and a separate commercial facility in Bahrain.

Bahrain’s interior ministry confirmed that Civil Defence forces responded to a fire at the facility following the Iranian strikes. Authorities said they were taking measures at the site.

Amazon.com, Inc., AMZN

Amazon had already warned that its AWS operations in Bahrain were disrupted due to “drone activity” in the area. That statement came before this latest attack.

The strikes have caused outages to apps and digital services across the UAE and the wider region. Banks and government agencies that rely on AWS infrastructure were also affected.

Iran’s Threat to U.S. Tech Firms

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps stated the strikes were aimed at data centers that support “the enemy’s” military and intelligence operations.

On March 31, Iran officially labeled 18 U.S. technology companies as legitimate military targets. That list includes Amazon, Microsoft, Nvidia, Google, Apple, Meta, HP, Tesla, Oracle, Boeing, Cisco, and IBM.

The April 1 attack on Amazon’s Bahrain facility was the first direct strike on a named U.S. tech firm since that designation was made.

Iran’s targeting of data centers reflects a broader strategy. U.S. military forces have reportedly used AI tools, including Anthropic’s Claude, for analysis and operational support. AWS cloud servers are said to host sensitive government data and software.

The dependency of U.S. military operations on AI infrastructure has made cloud facilities a new front in the conflict.

Why Amazon Has So Much Infrastructure in the Region

U.S. tech companies have expanded heavily in the Middle East in recent years. Low energy costs and available land made the region attractive for building AI infrastructure.

Amazon, Microsoft, Google, and others have all invested in large data center projects across the Gulf states. That expansion has now made them physical targets in an active conflict zone.

Amazon’s stock holds a consensus Strong Buy rating from 43 Wall Street analysts, with 40 Buy and three Hold recommendations in the past three months. The average price target stands at $279.88, implying roughly 33% upside from current levels.

The Bahrain attack is the most recent confirmed strike on U.S. tech infrastructure in the region.

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