Ongoing geopolitical tensions are impacting cloud infrastructure in the Middle East, forcing Amazon Web Services to take continuous measures to maintain service availability.
Amazon Web Services (AWS) is working 24/7 to keep its services operational in the region after drone strikes damaged data centres in Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates. CEO Matt Garman said the situation remains challenging as disruptions continue.
“It’s a really difficult situation, and we’re working incredibly hard,” Garman said, adding that teams are operating around the clock to support customers in the affected regions.
The company had earlier confirmed that its Bahrain region was disrupted due to the ongoing conflict. Several AWS services in Bahrain and the UAE remain unavailable, according to its status updates.
The situation escalated after Iran’s Revolutionary Guard navy announced it had targeted Amazon’s data centre infrastructure in Bahrain. AWS has not commented further on the latest developments.
The conflict is also increasing operational challenges. Data centres, especially those supporting generative AI workloads, require significant energy, and costs have risen since tensions began in February.
Broader economic effects are also emerging. Oil prices surged after threats of attacks on civilian infrastructure linked to the Strait of Hormuz. Garman noted that such disruptions create pressure across industries and add strain to global supply chains.
The impact extends to critical materials as well. Restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz have pushed up helium prices, an essential component in semiconductor manufacturing. Qatar, a major global supplier, accounts for over one-third of helium production.
Despite the challenges, AWS remains optimistic about the region’s long-term potential. Garman highlighted strong entrepreneurial momentum and continued investment opportunities in the Middle East.
Amazon’s cloud division remains the world’s leading provider of cloud infrastructure, alongside competitors such as Google, Microsoft, and Oracle, all of which are expanding their global data centre footprint.
The developments highlight how geopolitical risks are increasingly influencing critical digital infrastructure and global technology operations.
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