Meta Closes Tel Aviv Office After Iran Missile Attacks, affecting nearly 1,000 employees
Meta has temporarily shut its Tel Aviv office amid the ongoing Israel-Iran war, according to a report by The Information. The move is expected to affect around 900 employees based in the city. The company, led by Mark Zuckerberg, reportedly informed staff about the closure through a memo, stating, “We understand that not everyone has access to a shelter or safe room at home during these challenging times.”
Meta is said to have assured its employees that it would provide hotel stays (for up to 5 days) to people who did not have access to a bomb shelter.
The company reportedly established its Tel Aviv office in 2013, concentrating on research and development. This office is crucial in creating technology for the company's augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) products. According to the latest data from the Israeli Ministry of Health, 191 people have suffered serious injuries in the past 24 hours due to the ongoing conflict with Iran. The Times of Israel reports that since the war with Iran began on February 28, 2,339 individuals have been hospitalized.
Other Tech Firms Hit by Middle East Tensions
Several major tech companies have taken precautionary steps to ensure employee safety amid rising tensions in the Middle East. Amazon has asked its regional employees to work remotely and “follow local government guidelines,” according to CNBC, while Snap has directed staff across its four Middle East offices to work from home. Nvidia has also reportedly shut its Dubai office and shifted employees to remote work.
The security concerns come after three Amazon Web Services (AWS) facilities, two in the UAE and one in Bahrain, were hit by Iranian drone strikes earlier this month. The attacks caused structural damage and disrupted services such as virtual servers and databases. AWS said recovery could be “prolonged” due to power loss and water damage, and advised customers to back up their data or migrate services to other regions.
