Leaked documents have revealed that Microsoft’s involvement with Israel’s military surged during the Gaza war following October 7, 2023. The disclosures, part of an investigation by The Guardian, +972 Magazine, and Local Call, offer a detailed look into how Microsoft provided critical technological support to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). This included expanding access to cloud computing, artificial intelligence (AI), and other digital tools, illustrating the increasing role of private tech companies in modern warfare.
As the conflict in Gaza escalated, the IDF faced a rapid surge in demand for computing power and data storage. This demand led to an increased reliance on major cloud providers, including Microsoft, Amazon, and Google. Among these, Microsoft’s Azure cloud platform played a pivotal role in supporting IDF operations across air, ground, and naval units, as well as its intelligence directorate.
Documents obtained from Israel’s defense ministry and Microsoft’s Israeli subsidiary highlight at least $10 million in deals struck during the conflict. These deals included 19,000 hours of technical and engineering support provided to various IDF units. Microsoft’s staff worked closely with elite military divisions, including Unit 8200, known for its advanced surveillance capabilities, and Unit 9900, which specializes in visual intelligence.
The leaked files suggest that Azure was not just used for administrative tasks like email and file management but also for critical combat and intelligence activities. Microsoft’s suite of AI tools, including OpenAI’s GPT-4 model, played a growing role in IDF operations. OpenAI’s tools, integrated via the Azure platform, accounted for a significant portion of the IDF’s consumption of machine learning services by early 2024.
The documents also reveal that the IDF utilized Azure’s AI-powered translation and speech-to-text conversion tools, with much of this activity occurring on “air-gapped” systems disconnected from public networks. This suggests that the services were used for highly sensitive and classified tasks.
Microsoft’s technology underpinned a range of military operations. During the Gaza offensive, the IDF’s air force unit, Ofek, used Microsoft’s communications and messaging systems to manage extensive “target banks” for lethal strikes. Additionally, the “Rolling Stone” system, which oversees population registry and movement monitoring in the West Bank and Gaza, relied on Microsoft’s cloud infrastructure.
The IDF’s demand for Microsoft’s services skyrocketed during the war. Monthly consumption of Azure’s cloud storage grew by 60% in the first six months of the war compared to the preceding four months. Similarly, usage of Azure’s machine learning tools increased 64-fold during the same period.
Microsoft’s ties to Israel’s defense sector date back years. Despite losing a $1.2 billion public sector cloud contract, known as “Project Nimbus,” to Amazon and Google in 2021, Microsoft maintained its position as a key partner for the IDF. Internal documents suggest that Microsoft executives saw the military relationship as a critical avenue for growth, particularly in classified and complex projects.
In November 2023, Israel’s defense ministry turned to Microsoft for urgent support to bolster Mamram, the IDF’s central computing unit. Mamram has been central to the military’s shift toward commercial cloud services, with its commander citing the “crazy wealth of services” offered by cloud providers as a game-changer for operational effectiveness.
Microsoft’s partnership with OpenAI allowed the IDF to access GPT-4 and other advanced AI models through Azure. While OpenAI’s policies previously restricted military use, these restrictions were quietly removed in January 2024. This policy shift coincided with a sharp increase in the IDF’s usage of OpenAI tools for undisclosed purposes.
Other tech giants also played roles in supporting the IDF. Google’s cloud division provided access to its AI-based services, and Amazon Web Services was featured alongside Azure in presentations by IDF officials.
The revelations have sparked protests among tech workers in the United States, who fear that their work has been used to enable warfare. Critics argue that these partnerships blur the lines between civilian and military digital infrastructure, raising ethical concerns about the role of private companies in conflict zones.
While neither Microsoft nor OpenAI commented on the investigation, the disclosures underscore a paradigm shift in modern warfare, where cutting-edge technology is as vital as traditional weaponry. For Israel, the integration of AI and cloud computing has proven critical in managing the demands of rapid and large-scale military operations. For Microsoft, the deepening partnership with the IDF reflects a strategic move to embed itself in one of the most secretive and high-stakes arenas of defense technology.
