Industrial communication and networking equipment provider Moxa has identified the Middle East as a key fast-growing market over the next three to five years, highlighting the region at its Lunar New Year media event. General Manager Eddy Lin emphasized that geopolitical conflicts remain a concern, but ongoing semiconductor capacity expansion, supply chain diversification, edge AI upgrades, data center buildout, and critical system monitoring will drive double-digit growth for Moxa in 2025

While the global economy pins its growth hopes on the rapid scaling of artificial intelligence (AI), the physical foundation of that technology is currently facing an existential threat in the narrow seaways of the Persian Gulf

US and Israeli strikes on Iran have sharply raised tensions in the Middle East. The operation seeks to weaken Iran's military capability and reshape the regional balance, but with no ground forces involved and attacks relying mainly on airstrikes, its political and military outcomes remain uncertain. Industry observers warn prolonged conflict could weigh on global economic growth. The situation has also reinforced concerns in Taiwan that independent design and manufacturing capabilities for defense technologies are increasingly critical

Ever since US and Israel joint forces launched attacks on Iran, widespread debate has erupted about the use of AI in warfare. On online platforms like Reddit, claims have surfaced that the US military has employed Anthropic's Claude and xAI's Grok models during the conflict in Iran, suggesting that large AI models have played a critical role in their operations. However, these assertions require a careful look at the facts

Amazon Web Services (AWS) data centers in the Middle East were disrupted after drone attacks damaged facilities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain, triggering service outages and forcing major technology companies to reassess regional operations

With military conflicts escalating in the Middle East, United Microelectronics (UMC) honorary vice chairman John Hsuan warned that global supply chains will be disrupted by war. He noted that exclusive suppliers face a severe impact, while alternatives exist if supplies are not unique

On June 6, 2025, US President Donald Trump signed two executive orders—"Unleashing American Drone Dominance" and "Restoring American Airspace Sovereignty"—mandating that the US drone industry exclude technology, parts, and materials from controlled countries (China, Russia, Iran, North Korea). The orders encourage adopting allied technologies to build an autonomous, resilient domestic ecosystem supporting the low-altitude economy and critical defense needs

In late February 2026, the US and Israel launched coordinated strikes against Iran, deepening an already entrenched Middle East stalemate. During Operation Epic Fury, the US military confirmed it had deployed low-cost suicide drones for the first time—repurposing and upgrading technology rooted in Iran's own designs

Rising tensions between the US and Iran have rattled global energy markets, exposing new vulnerabilities in Middle East supply chains. After drone attacks forced QatarEnergy to suspend liquefied natural gas (LNG) production, Taiwan's energy authorities moved swiftly to safeguard domestic supply, activating contingency plans to cushion against potential disruptions

As the US–Iran war threatens to drive up global energy prices, concerns have been growing regarding Taiwan's energy supply, which is highly reliant on imported liquified natural gas (LNG) for generating electricity. Taking into account shipping times from the Middle East, industry experts expect that real impacts on Taiwan's oil and gas imports from the current conflict will begin after March 15. Oil and gas inventories are secure for now, as fuel already loaded and en route will ensure stable short-term supply

Recent joint airstrikes by the US and Israel against Iran, followed by Iran's retaliatory attacks on nearby US military bases in Bahrain and Qatar, disrupted local flight schedules and communications, bringing "communication resilience" back into international focus and elevating the 2026 UK Space‑Comm Expo as a barometer for satellite backup technologies

After the US and Israel launched joint air strikes on Iran, Middle East tensions escalated sharply. South Korea activated an emergency response system, with Prime Minister Kim Min-seok chairing daily reviews of energy, financial, and supply chain conditions. The Ministry of Economy and Finance formed three cross-ministerial task forces to monitor risks around the Strait of Hormuz and track global oil price and exchange rate volatility amid rising crude prices

US and Israeli airstrikes on Iran triggered retaliatory missile attacks on US bases in Bahrain and Qatar, with spillover disruptions hitting cloud infrastructure, logistics hubs, and commercial operations across the Middle East

OpenAI has underscored the increasing complexity and unpredictability of the AI rivalry between the US and China, highlighting China's rapid progress through open-source, low-cost AI models and its export of "sovereign AI" systems to Southeast Asia and the Middle East. These shifts indicate new geopolitical dimensions in the global AI landscape