Iran's new strike targets: Microsoft and Amazon data centers

Iran has included commercial data centers in the range of drone strikes, marking a new phase in the global threat to technological infrastructure security. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of Iran launched drone attacks this week on data centers of Amazon and Microsoft in the Gulf region. The Iranian state media Fars News Agency recently stated on Telegram, "The strikes against Amazon and Microsoft have dealt a severe blow to the enemy's technological and information infrastructure." This incident is the first known case of a commercial data center suffering a physical attack in a conflict. The aforementioned attacks have sent a clear warning to global data center operators and investors, as the scale of global data center construction is expected to exceed $3 trillion by the end of 2028, the strategic value of anti-drone security systems is being rapidly repriced. Attack Overview: From AWS to Microsoft, Targets Continue to Expand On Monday, IRGC drones struck two data centers of Amazon Web Services (AWS) located in the UAE, and another drone nearly hit an AWS facility in Bahrain. Days later, Iranian state-affiliated media further claimed that the IRGC had listed Microsoft's data centers in the Gulf region as targets and carried out attacks. The drones used were low-cost "kamikaze" style suicide drones. These types of weapons are inexpensive, difficult to intercept, and have been extensively tested in real combat during the Ukraine conflict, with rapid technological iterations. Previously, market discussions about the risks to data centers mainly focused on financing, site selection, and construction phases, with limited attention to the physical security threats faced after facilities are built. Traditional perimeter protection measures—such as metal fences and surveillance systems—are nearly ineffective against autonomous drones or swarm attacks. The Ukraine conflict over the past four years has accelerated the evolution of drone tactics, bringing a form of warfare originally expected in the 2030s to the present, while the defense systems of global commercial infrastructure have not kept pace with this rhythm. This incident will directly prompt data center operators to reassess their security investments. Against the backdrop of a global data center construction boom, counter-drone systems (Counter-UAS) are expected to transition from marginal configurations to standard infrastructure. For investors planning or already holding data center assets, the rising security costs will become a new variable that cannot be ignored