Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it used cruise missiles to destroy Amazon's central data infrastructure in Bahrain on Tuesday [1].
This development marks a significant escalation in regional tensions, targeting private corporate infrastructure tied to U.S. interests rather than strictly military installations. Such an attack on a primary data hub could disrupt digital services and cloud operations across the Middle East.
An IRGC spokesperson said the cruise missiles destroyed the central data infrastructure in Bahrain and hit U.S. air defense systems [1]. The group said the strike served as retaliation against U.S. and allied activities in the region [3].
Beyond the Bahraini data hub, the IRGC reported further strikes in Jordan. A spokesperson said that a missile defense radar system and an F-15 aircraft were both destroyed in that country [2].
These claims follow a pattern of reported aggression in the Gulf. Earlier this year, the IRGC said it hit eight [4] U.S. bases across Kuwait and Bahrain [4].
Neither Amazon nor U.S. military officials have confirmed the destruction of the data center or the loss of the aircraft in Jordan. The IRGC said these operations were successful responses to foreign presence in the region [3].
“The IRGC claimed its cruise missiles destroyed Amazon's central data infrastructure in Bahrain”
The targeting of a commercial data hub suggests a shift in strategy toward 'gray zone' warfare, where economic and digital infrastructure becomes a primary target. By striking Amazon, the IRGC is signaling that the interdependence of U.S. corporate technology and military presence in the Gulf creates a broader surface for retaliation. However, the lack of independent verification of these claims is typical of IRGC communications, which often inflate operational success for domestic propaganda.
