diff --git a/release/nightly_tests/simulate_cross_az_network_failure.py b/release/nightly_tests/simulate_cross_az_network_failure.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..17223a0efd79
--- /dev/null
+++ b/release/nightly_tests/simulate_cross_az_network_failure.py
@@ -0,0 +1,242 @@
+import argparse
+import subprocess
+import sys
+import threading
+import time
+from concurrent.futures import ThreadPoolExecutor, as_completed
+
+import ray
+import random
+import ray.util
+
+# The goal of the this script is to simulate cross AZ transient network failures periodically on a Ray job.
+# We do this by modifying the iptables to drop all inbound and outbound traffic for a given duration
+# except for intra-node and SSH traffic. After the duration, the iptables rules are restored.
+# The failure script is run in a background thread while the main command is run in the foreground.
+# NOTE: The script itself does not spin up a Ray cluster, it operates on the assumption that an existing
+# Ray cluster is running and we are able to SSH into the nodes (like on Anyscale).
+
+PARALLEL = 500  # concurrent SSH sessions
+SSH_USER = "ubuntu"  # Anyscale default
+AFFECT_WORKER_RATIO = 0.50  # failure affects 50% of worker nodes
+EXTRA_SSH = [
+    "-o",
+    "BatchMode=yes",
+    "-o",
+    "StrictHostKeyChecking=accept-new",
+    "-o",
+    "ConnectTimeout=10",
+]
+
+
+def iptables_cmd(self_ip: str, seconds: int) -> str:
+    return f"""\
+nohup setsid bash -lc '
+  sudo iptables -w -A INPUT  -p tcp --dport 22 -j ACCEPT
+  sudo iptables -w -A OUTPUT -p tcp --sport 22 -j ACCEPT
+  sudo iptables -w -A INPUT  -s 127.0.0.0/8 -d 127.0.0.0/8 -j ACCEPT
+  sudo iptables -w -A OUTPUT -s 127.0.0.0/8 -d 127.0.0.0/8 -j ACCEPT
+  sudo iptables -w -A INPUT  -s {self_ip} -d {self_ip} -j ACCEPT
+  sudo iptables -w -A OUTPUT -s {self_ip} -d {self_ip} -j ACCEPT
+  sudo iptables -w -A INPUT  -j DROP
+  sudo iptables -w -A OUTPUT -j DROP
+  sleep {seconds}
+  sudo iptables -w -D OUTPUT -j DROP
+  sudo iptables -w -D INPUT  -j DROP
+  sudo iptables -w -D OUTPUT -s {self_ip} -d {self_ip} -j ACCEPT
+  sudo iptables -w -D INPUT  -s {self_ip} -d {self_ip} -j ACCEPT
+  sudo iptables -w -D OUTPUT -s 127.0.0.0/8 -d 127.0.0.0/8 -j ACCEPT
+  sudo iptables -w -D INPUT  -s 127.0.0.0/8 -d 127.0.0.0/8 -j ACCEPT
+  sudo iptables -w -D OUTPUT -p tcp --sport 22 -j ACCEPT
+  sudo iptables -w -D INPUT  -p tcp --dport 22 -j ACCEPT
+' &>/dev/null &
+"""
+
+
+def ssh_run(ip: str, cmd: str) -> tuple[bool, str]:
+    """Run SSH command on remote host."""
+    target = f"{SSH_USER}@{ip}"
+    res = subprocess.run(
+        ["ssh", *EXTRA_SSH, target, cmd], capture_output=True, text=True
+    )
+    ok = res.returncode == 0
+    msg = res.stdout.strip() if ok else (res.stderr.strip() or res.stdout.strip())
+    return ok, msg
+
+
+def simulate_cross_az_network_failure(seconds: int):
+    if not ray.is_initialized():
+        ray.init(address="auto")
+
+    nodes = ray.nodes()
+    all_ips = [n["NodeManagerAddress"] for n in nodes if n.get("Alive", False)]
+    # Always inject failures on the head node
+    head_ip = next(
+        (
+            n["NodeManagerAddress"]
+            for n in nodes
+            if n.get("NodeManagerAddress") == ray.util.get_node_ip_address()
+        ),
+        None,
+    )
+
+    print(f"Discovered {len(all_ips)} alive nodes")
+    print(f"Head node: {head_ip}")
+
+    worker_ips = [ip for ip in all_ips if ip != head_ip]
+    print(f"Eligible worker nodes: {len(worker_ips)}")
+    if not worker_ips:
+        print("ERROR: No worker nodes found")
+        return
+
+    k = max(1, int(len(worker_ips) * AFFECT_WORKER_RATIO))
+    affected = random.sample(worker_ips, k)
+    # NOTE: When running this script on Anyscale with longer failure durations the blacked out head node could
+    # cause your workspace to lag and die. To avoid this, comment out the below line.
+    affected.append(head_ip)
+    print(
+        f"Affecting {len(affected)} nodes (~{AFFECT_WORKER_RATIO*100:.0f}% of workers + head node):"
+    )
+    print(", ".join(affected[:10]) + (" ..." if len(affected) > 10 else ""))
+
+    cmds = {ip: iptables_cmd(ip, seconds) for ip in affected}
+
+    print(f"\nTriggering {seconds}s of transient network failure...")
+    successes, failures = [], {}
+
+    with ThreadPoolExecutor(max_workers=PARALLEL) as ex:
+        futs = {ex.submit(ssh_run, ip, cmds[ip]): ip for ip in affected}
+        for fut in as_completed(futs):
+            ip = futs[fut]
+            try:
+                ok, msg = fut.result()
+                if ok:
+                    successes.append(ip)
+                else:
+                    failures[ip] = msg
+            except Exception as e:
+                failures[ip] = str(e)
+
+    print("\n=== Summary ===")
+    print(f"Succeeded: {len(successes)} nodes")
+    print(f"Failed   : {len(failures)} nodes")
+    if failures:
+        for ip, msg in list(failures.items()):
+            print(f"  {ip}: {msg}")
+
+
+def network_failure_loop(interval, network_failure_duration):
+    """
+    Run the network failure loop in a background thread at regular intervals.
+
+    Args:
+        interval: Interval in seconds between network failure events
+        network_failure_duration: Duration in seconds of each network failure
+    """
+    print(
+        f"[NETWORK FAILURE {time.strftime('%H:%M:%S')}] Starting network failure thread with interval: {interval} seconds"
+    )
+
+    while True:
+        # Sleep for the interval duration
+        time.sleep(interval)
+
+        # Simulate a network failure
+        print(
+            f"[NETWORK FAILURE {time.strftime('%H:%M:%S')}] Triggering network failure simulation..."
+        )
+        try:
+            simulate_cross_az_network_failure(network_failure_duration)
+        except Exception as e:
+            print(
+                f"[NETWORK FAILURE {time.strftime('%H:%M:%S')}] ERROR: Network failure simulation failed: {e}"
+            )
+
+
+def parse_args():
+    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(
+        description="Run benchmark with network failure injection at regular intervals",
+        formatter_class=argparse.RawDescriptionHelpFormatter,
+        epilog="""
+Examples:
+  # Run map_benchmark with network failures injected every 300 seconds, each lasting 5 seconds
+  python simulate_cross_az_network_failure.py --network-failure-interval 300 --network-failure-duration 5 --command python map_benchmark.py --api map_batches --sf 1000
+        """,
+    )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--network-failure-interval",
+        type=int,
+        required=True,
+        help="Interval in seconds between network failure events",
+    )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--network-failure-duration",
+        type=int,
+        required=True,
+        help="Duration in seconds of each network failure",
+    )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--command",
+        nargs=argparse.REMAINDER,
+        required=True,
+        help="The main command to run (e.g., 'python map_benchmark.py --api map_batches ...')",
+    )
+    return parser.parse_args()
+
+
+def main():
+    args = parse_args()
+
+    # Validate command (argparse catches missing --command, but not empty --command)
+    if not args.command:
+        print("ERROR: --command requires at least one argument")
+        print(
+            "Usage: python simulate_cross_az_network_failure.py --network-failure-interval <seconds> --network-failure-duration <seconds> --command <command>"
+        )
+        sys.exit(1)
+
+    print("=" * 80)
+    print("Running with Network Failure Injection")
+    print("=" * 80)
+    print(f"Network failure interval: {args.network_failure_interval} seconds")
+    print(f"Network failure duration: {args.network_failure_duration} seconds")
+    print(f"Command: {' '.join(args.command)}")
+    print("=" * 80)
+    print()
+
+    # Start network failure thread as daemon - it will die with the process
+    network_failure_thread = threading.Thread(
+        target=network_failure_loop,
+        args=(args.network_failure_interval, args.network_failure_duration),
+        daemon=True,
+    )
+    network_failure_thread.start()
+
+    try:
+        # Run the main command in the foreground
+        print(
+            f"[MAIN {time.strftime('%H:%M:%S')}] Starting command: {' '.join(args.command)}"
+        )
+        main_result = subprocess.run(args.command)
+        print(
+            f"\n[MAIN {time.strftime('%H:%M:%S')}] Command completed with exit code: {main_result.returncode}"
+        )
+        exit_code = main_result.returncode
+
+    except KeyboardInterrupt:
+        print("\n[MAIN] Interrupted by user")
+        exit_code = 130
+
+    except Exception as e:
+        print(f"[MAIN] ERROR: {e}")
+        exit_code = 1
+
+    print("\n" + "=" * 80)
+    print(f"Execution completed with exit code: {exit_code}")
+    print("=" * 80)
+
+    sys.exit(exit_code)
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    main()
diff --git a/release/release_data_tests.yaml b/release/release_data_tests.yaml
index e73ace2ec856..a27545251215 100644
--- a/release/release_data_tests.yaml
+++ b/release/release_data_tests.yaml
@@ -653,9 +653,8 @@
 #################################################
 
 - name: "cross_az_map_batches_autoscaling"
-  frequency: nightly
+  frequency: manual
   env: gce
-
   cluster:
     cluster_compute: cross_az_250_350_compute_gce.yaml
 
@@ -690,3 +689,33 @@
  #           - RAY_testing_rpc_failure="*=-1:10:10:1:1"
  #           - RAY_testing_rpc_failure_avoid_intra_node_failures=1
  #       cluster_compute: cross_az_250_350_compute_aws.yaml
+
+- name: "cross_az_map_batches_autoscaling_iptable_failure_injection"
+  frequency: nightly
+  env: gce
+  working_dir: nightly_tests
+
+  cluster:
+    byod:
+      runtime_env:
+        - RAY_health_check_period_ms=10000
+        - RAY_health_check_timeout_ms=100000
+        - RAY_health_check_failure_threshold=10
+        - RAY_gcs_rpc_server_connect_timeout_s=60
+    cluster_compute: dataset/cross_az_250_350_compute_gce.yaml
+
+  run:
+    timeout: 10800
+    # The network failure interval is set to 210 seconds since the test as is takes around double that to run without failures.
+    # If the runtime of the test is dramatically reduced in the future, the interval will have to be retuned.
+    script: >
+      python simulate_cross_az_network_failure.py --network-failure-interval 210 --network-failure-duration 5 --command python dataset/map_benchmark.py
+      --api map_batches --batch-format numpy --compute actors --sf 1000
+      --repeat-inputs 1 --concurrency 1024 2048
+
+  variations:
+    - __suffix__: gce
+    - __suffix__: aws
+      env: aws
+      cluster:
+        cluster_compute: dataset/cross_az_250_350_compute_aws.yaml