Iran’s IRGC allegedly names major US tech firms as potential targets

TEHRAN: The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has allegedly identified several major US technology companies as potential military targets in the Gulf region, marking a dramatic expansion of the confrontation between Iran and the United States into the digital and commercial technology sphere.

According to regional security reports and media accounts, companies including Google, Microsoft, Amazon and Nvidia were described as “legitimate military targets” because their infrastructure and technologies are seen by Iranian officials as supporting US military and intelligence capabilities.

Analysts say the move reflects Tehran’s growing view that commercial cloud computing, artificial intelligence and semiconductor infrastructure form part of modern warfare systems.

The shift in strategy appeared to coincide with drone strikes reported near cloud infrastructure operated by Amazon Web Services in Gulf states including the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.

The incidents reportedly caused brief disruptions to some cloud services before operations were restored. No major damage to core infrastructure was confirmed, and companies involved said systems returned to normal shortly after the incidents.

Security experts say the alleged designation reflects a broader trend in modern conflict where civilian technology infrastructure becomes entangled with military systems. Cloud platforms run by companies such as Amazon, Microsoft and Google are widely used by governments and defense agencies for data storage, communications, artificial intelligence tools and battlefield analytics.

The growing dependence on commercial technology has blurred the line between civilian and military targets, raising concerns among cybersecurity specialists and international law experts about the risks to global internet infrastructure.

Major cloud providers operate extensive data-center networks across the Gulf, which serve financial institutions, governments and multinational companies.

The latest developments come amid escalating tensions in the region and fears that the conflict could expand beyond traditional military facilities to include critical digital infrastructure. Analysts warn that targeting technology companies could disrupt financial systems, communications networks and global data flows if attacks escalate.