US-Iran Tensions, Bahrain Impact: Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao says Iranian strikes “blew the hell out of” Naval Support Activity Bahrain, forcing the evacuation of about 1,300 military families and leaving the USS Abraham Lincoln unable to dock—raising questions over whether the U.S. will rebuild or shrink its Gulf footprint. Cloud Security Shock: Amazon Web Services says it can’t restore access to damaged Bahrain cloud resources and one UAE zone after Iranian attacks, with some customer data permanently lost—an uncomfortable warning for Bahrain’s push to build a digital economy. Spectrum Governance: Bahrain reconstituted its Strategic and Spectrum Co-ordination Committee, chaired by TRA, to steer digital transformation, spectrum oversight, and tech/network security. Digital Economy Push: Bahrain’s ICT ministerial committee reviewed e-commerce rules, digital transaction protection, fraud reduction, and updates to the National Digital Economy Strategy, including digital identity and startup support. Regional Tech Diplomacy: Bahrain’s iGA and Saudi Data & AI Authority expand data and AI cooperation, while GCC education ministers met in Manama to discuss AI in schools. Local Telecom & Consumer Tech: Batelco launched iPhone 18 in Bahrain with “The 18K Challenge,” a Strava-based 18km fitness activation running 18–20 September. Fintech Spotlight: Visa joined Fintech Forward 2026 as a Diamond Sponsor, backing discussions on “Finance in the Age of Intelligent Infrastructure.”