Explosions rocked Bahrain early on Sunday as Iran’s Revolutionary Guards claimed responsibility for a drone attack on a United States military base in the Gulf country, which has faced repeated strikes during the ongoing Middle East war.
The blasts were accompanied by air raid sirens, while Bahraini authorities issued emergency alerts on social media, urging residents to take shelter.
The warnings were the first of their kind since September.
Bahrain, which hosts a major US naval base, has experienced two attacks within three days following a period of relative calm.
The Gulf region, rich in energy resources, has been heavily affected by Iranian attacks since the conflict began.
The Bahraini military said its air defence systems intercepted several Iranian attacks, “preventing them from reaching their intended targets.”
The country’s foreign ministry also confirmed that Iranian drones were shot down by air defence systems.
An AFP journalist reported hearing explosions around 4:00 am (0100 GMT), while residents said another round of blasts occurred at approximately 6:30 am.
In a statement shared on X, Bahrain’s interior ministry urged residents to “remain calm, proceed to the nearest safe location, and follow news through official channels.”
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said the attack targeted a US radar system at a military base in Bahrain. The statement, carried by Iranian state broadcaster, identified the target as a radar installation at the Al-Riffa helicopter base.
“The US air defence radar system at the Al-Riffa helicopter base in Bahrain was targeted by six drones belonging to the IRGC Aerospace Force,” the Guards said in a statement posted by the state broadcaster on Telegram.
“The Strait of Hormuz is closed, and any aggression by the American enemy will be met with an even harsher and more forceful response,” it added.
Iran has restricted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a major global oil trade route, during more than eight months of fighting.
The country has also targeted airports, seaports, energy installations and US military assets across the region.
Bahrain’s foreign ministry condemned the attacks, saying the country would not allow its territory to be used for conflicts involving other nations.
The ministry said Bahrain “rejects turning its territory into an arena for settling scores and holds Iran fully responsible for these attacks and their consequences.”
The Gulf nation is among countries in the region that have endured thousands of Iranian drone and missile attacks since the war started on February 28.
On Friday, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards announced that they had targeted a US early warning radar system in Bahrain, marking the first reported attack on a Gulf country since early September.
The US military’s Central Command said it intercepted two Iranian drones heading towards Bahrain during Friday’s attack, adding that there were no casualties or damage.
CENTCOM, which oversees American military operations across the region, disclosed last month that it had supported Gulf countries in exporting 1.5 billion barrels of oil through the Strait of Hormuz since the summer.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump is expected to discuss the conflict at a trilateral meeting with his Chinese and Russian counterparts this week, according to an official who spoke on Friday.
Trump’s setbacks in the midterm elections were partly attributed to the Iran war, the report said.
Efforts by diplomats to end the conflict have so far failed, with the war beginning after surprise US-Israeli strikes that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
AFP
