Amazon Web Services (AWS) is working to restore services after a major disruption at one of its data centers in the United Arab Emirates.
Unidentified “objects” struck the facility on Sunday and triggered a fire, according to AWS’s official status update. Authorities cut power to two data center clusters as a safety measure. The shutdown caused widespread service interruptions.
AWS said recovery may take at least 24 hours. Engineers must repair damaged facilities, cooling systems, and power infrastructure before restoring full operations. The company is working closely with local authorities to make sure the site remains safe during the recovery process.
Regional Services Affected
The outage caused power and connectivity issues in both the UAE and Bahrain. Several essential AWS cloud services went offline during the disruption.
A source familiar with the situation said some financial institutions experienced service interruptions because they rely on AWS infrastructure. Due to the sensitive nature of the situation, the source asked to remain anonymous.
AWS advised customers to back up critical data and shift workloads to unaffected regions where possible.
Security Concerns Emerge
AWS did not identify the objects involved in the incident. The disruption occurred on the same day Iran launched drones and missiles toward Gulf states following reported US and Israeli military actions.
If authorities confirm a military link, the incident could mark the first known case of a major US technology company’s data center going offline due to conflict activity.
Expanding Role of Digital Infrastructure
The United Arab Emirates is strengthening its position as a regional hub for artificial intelligence and cloud computing, attracting increased global investment.
Microsoft plans to expand its long-term presence in the country, while Google and Oracle also operate local data centers.
Security experts say digital infrastructure, including data centers and fiber networks, has become strategically important in modern conflicts.
Banking Sector Impact
Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank confirmed that its mobile application and online platforms became temporarily unavailable due to a broader regional IT disruption. The bank did not directly link the issue to AWS.
Recovery Ongoing
AWS said teams continue repair work and safety assessments. The company stated that protecting personnel and infrastructure remains its top priority.
The disruption underscores how essential reliable cloud infrastructure has become as governments and companies across the Middle East continue to expand their digital services and operations.
