Amazon Web Services unable to restore Bahrain data network knocked out by Iran

Amazon Web Services (AWS) has announced it will not be able to restore its operations at one of its three data hosting zones in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and its Bahrain network, following attacks by Iran. The assessment was conducted after a thorough investigation, and the relevant authorities in the Gulf countries have been informed, according to a statement on AWS's Health Dashboard site on Tuesday.

AWS clarified that it is unable to restore access to the resources and data exclusively hosted in the UAE zone and Bahrain, although customer support will remain accessible to assist users in migrating to alternative regions.

Since the disruption commenced in March, most customers have successfully re-established their operations in different regions by restoring backups or copying accessible data. The UAE zone faced disruption, but customer support will still be available to help users transition to alternate regions. The US and Israel initiated their offensive against Iran on February 28, which led to the attacks.

AWS operates nine sites in the Middle East, with three each in the UAE, Bahrain, and Israel, and plans to open three more in Saudi Arabia.

In Bahrain, the damage to AWS's infrastructure affected multiple zones and surpassed the capabilities of its regional and multi-availability zones services. AWS services in Saudi Arabia experienced disruptions twice in March, and another zone was hit in April. AWS has supported the remaining customers in re-establishing their operations in alternative regions using backups when available or implementing alternative solutions to minimize the impact of inaccessible data.

An update on the Bahrain situation is anticipated in early 2027, but no timeline has been provided for the UAE.

AWS has undertaken a comprehensive assessment of all affected infrastructure, exhausting every option for restoring data and resources that had not been migrated prior to the region becoming unavailable. The next steps in rebuilding the damaged sites are yet to be determined. The National reached out to AWS representatives in the UAE but was directed to the Health Dashboard site.

Iran's war has caused significant disruptions across various industries, including energy and infrastructure, as Tehran targeted critical industrial facilities in US-allied states in the Gulf. Governments and companies in the affected nations have responded swiftly to the attacks, although some strikes have caused long-term damage, such as those inflicted on UAE's Emirates Global Aluminium and QatarEnergy.

Companies are prioritizing the continuity of their operations while ensuring the safety of their staff. Technology services cuts are among the most disruptive and costly. In October last year, AWS experienced a major global outage, affecting a portion of the internet. AWS reaffirmed its commitment to supporting its customers in the UAE and Bahrain.