Key facts
- Satellite images show damage to Amazon data centers in Bahrain and a Saudi oil refinery.
- Iran claimed responsibility for missile and drone attacks on Amazon data centers in Bahrain.
- The Houthis declared a blockade targeting Saudi oil exports via the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
- Attacks on Saudi oil facilities have led to a significant drop in tanker transits through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
- The Jazan oil refinery in Saudi Arabia was shut down following an apparent attack.
Satellite imagery has revealed new damage to Amazon Web Services (AWS) data centers in Bahrain and at least one Saudi oil facility, following recent missile and drone attacks by Iran and its Houthi allies. These incidents underscore the escalating regional conflict and its potential impact on global energy markets and critical infrastructure.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed responsibility for attacking Amazon data centers in Bahrain on July 21, releasing high-resolution images purportedly showing damage. While analysts used Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellite data to verify signs of strikes, the full extent of the damage remains unclear. AWS services in the affected region have been impacted since April, with customers advised to migrate workloads.
Separately, the Houthi faction in Yemen declared a naval blockade on July 20 aimed at disrupting Saudi oil exports through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Subsequent Houthi attacks on July 25 targeted Saudi oil tankers, refineries, and the port of Yanbu. Satellite imagery indicated a fire at an oil tank at Saudi Aramco's Jazan refinery, which was subsequently shut down. Similar signs of flaring were observed at other processing plants.
These attacks have already led to a significant decrease in oil tanker traffic through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, raising concerns about global oil supply and prices. The disruption threatens Saudi Arabia's efforts to reroute oil exports away from the Strait of Hormuz.