Amazon's AWS unable to restore Bahrain cloud facility, one UAE data zone after Iran war damage

Amazon's cloud computing service, AWS, has been unable to restore operations at its data centre in Bahrain and one of three data zones in the United Arab Emirates following damage caused by the Iran war. According to Reuters, the incident affected multiple "Availability Zones" within Bahrain's infrastructure, exceeding the capacity of AWS's regional and multi-Availability Zone protections. The company is assisting customers in Bahrain to transfer their workloads to other AWS regions as recovery efforts continue.

The disruption follows a series of incidents affecting AWS facilities in Bahrain and the UAE. Earlier, a power outage was reported at an AWS data centre in the UAE after unidentified objects struck the facility, resulting in sparks and a fire. Emergency crews switched off power and generators to contain the blaze, with no estimate provided for the restoration of electricity.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed responsibility for the attack on the AWS building in Bahrain, days after Iran warned of potential targets for US companies operating in the Gulf.

Bahrain's Interior Ministry reported that civil defense teams were addressing a fire at the company's facility, described as an Iranian attack. The AWS incident marks a significant setback for customers relying on Bahrain's cloud infrastructure, as the damage exceeded AWS's standard regional and multi-Availability Zone protections.