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Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has claimed responsibility for attacks on data centers belonging to US technology companies in the Middle East, with reports indicating strikes on an Amazon cloud computing center in Bahrain and an Oracle facility in Dubai. The attacks are described as retaliation for attacks on Iran, according to multiple sources citing Iranian state media.

Coverage Comparison

The news was covered by several outlets, with the Jerusalem Post, citing Reuters, reporting that the IRGC attacked an Amazon cloud computing center in Bahrain, "in retaliation for attacks on Iran," as reported by Iran's Students' News Agency (ISNA). The same report noted that the site had been damaged on Wednesday after an Iranian strike, citing the Financial Times and a person familiar with the matter. Bahrain's Interior Ministry had earlier confirmed that civil defense teams were extinguishing a fire at a company facility following what authorities described as an Iranian attack.

Meanwhile, Russia's state news agency TASS provided additional details, quoting an IRGC statement on X: "We launched attacks on data centers of two US [tech] companies - Oracle in Dubai and Amazon in Bahrain. We warned earlier that our actions in response to the killing of Iranians will be aimed at stopping the terror machine." This claim of an Oracle data center strike in Dubai was carried by one outlet and has not been independently verified by other sources.

TASS also reported, citing Iranian state broadcasting, that the IRGC claimed to have attacked and destroyed Amazon's cloud computing center in Bahrain, with the company, according to the IRGC, "in the process of leaving the region." The IRGC emphasized this was a "first warning" and threatened that if aggression continues, "the next companies, which have already been mentioned, will be punished much more severely."

Key Claims

  • Strike on Amazon Bahrain: The IRGC claimed to have attacked Amazon's cloud computing center in Bahrain, with reports from ISNA and TASS citing Iranian state media. Bahrain's Interior Ministry confirmed a fire at a company facility following an Iranian attack.
  • Strike on Oracle Dubai: The IRGC claimed to have struck an Oracle data center in Dubai, according to a statement on X quoted by TASS. This claim has not been corroborated by other sources.
  • Retaliation motive: The attacks are described as retaliation for attacks on Iran, with the IRGC statement referencing "the killing of Iranians."
  • Threats against US tech companies: The IRGC threatened to strike facilities belonging to 18 US IT companies in the region, including Intel, Cisco, and Microsoft, if attacks on Iran continue, as reported by TASS.
  • Potential targets in UAE: Iran's semi-official Fars News Agency reported, via TASS, that Iran would consider data centers of US companies in the UAE, including Amazon, Microsoft, Oracle, and Equinix, as potential targets for retaliatory strikes.
  • Drone attacks on US jets: The Jerusalem Post, citing Iran's Mehr news agency, reported that Iran carried out drone attacks against US fighter jets at Jordan's Al Azraq base—a claim not confirmed by other sources.

Perspectives

Iranian perspective: The IRGC frames its actions as legitimate responses to "attacks on Iran" and the "killing of Iranians," portraying technology companies as part of a "terror machine." The threats against 18 US IT firms suggest a broader strategy of targeting economic infrastructure.

US/Bahraini perspective: Bahrain's Interior Ministry acknowledged an attack on a company facility, but no US official has publicly commented. The Jerusalem Post framing emphasizes Iranian "retaliation" and "attacks," reflecting concerns about regional stability.

Regional security perspective: The listing of potential targets in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi, and Jordan, as reported by Fars, raises concerns about wider regional escalation. The drone attacks on US jets at Al Azraq base, if confirmed, would mark a significant development in US-Iran tensions.

This article draws on reports from the Jerusalem Post and TASS (English). For breaking developments, additional sources are encouraged.