Iran is now threatening to directly attack American technology companies present in the Middle East, calling them “legitimate targets” in the context of the ongoing conflict, after having already targeted data centers in several Gulf countries.
Iran has stepped up its threats against 18 US companies operating in the Middle East, vowing to strike those it considers “espionage entities” linked to the “hawkish US government”.
The target includes technological giants such as Apple, Google, Meta and Microsoft, accused of supporting “American-Israeli terrorist operations” since the start of the conflict on February 28, as well as numerous hardware suppliers such as HP, Intel, IBM and Cisco, according to the state channel Press TV.
“We advise employees of these institutions to immediately leave their workplace in order to protect themselves,” the press release continued. “Residents living within a one kilometer radius of these terrorist enterprises, in all countries in the region, are also urged to evacuate and take refuge in safe places.”
This is not the first time that Iran has threatened, on a military or cyber level, large American technology companies. On March 10, he had already targeted companies like Palantir and Oracle, closely linked to US military operations. More broadly, in recent weeks of the conflict, Iran struck two Amazon data centers in the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.
Broader strategy?
BFM Tech recalled that these attacks are part of a broader strategy targeting in particular interests linked to artificial intelligence in the region via strikes on data centers in the Gulf.
The US army also uses Amazon web services (AWS), some of which have suffered power outages and water damage following interventions by firefighters to put out fires after attacks, according to CNBC. In a more global context, the conflict, which has already claimed thousands of victims, also extends to cyberspace.
Just a few hours after the start of hostilities, cyberattacks carried out by actors linked to Iran appear to have been launched in response. Several Iranian actors, as well as groups of “hacktivists” and hackers motivated by political or ideological causes, have claimed digital operations targeting Israel, the United States and the Gulf countries since the launch of the strikes.
