Microsoft Azure: Microsoft unveils Israeli Azure cloud region

Microsoft revealed in an update that it has launched its newest Israeli Azure cloud region. The company noted in a now-deleted update, “We are launching our newest data center region in Israel. The new Israel Central data center region includes Azure availability zones, which offer you additional resiliency for your applications by designing the region with independent power, network, and cooling for additional tolerance to data center failures.”

The Israel Central region was listed as live on the Azure regions page and listed as available with three availability zones before being taken down and then put live again. This launch comes as Israel prepares for a ground assault on the Gaza Strip in retaliation for Hamas launching assaults that killed around 1,300 Israelis earlier this month. 

Microsoft initially announced plans to open its first data centers in Israel in 2020, with the facilities to open in 2021, only for the company to push it back to early 2022. Though it was the first US cloud provider to announce its launch plans, Microsoft is the last to open its cloud region in Israel.