Iran claimed responsibility for a drone attack on a U.S. base in Bahrain, marking a recurring pattern of assaults since the onset of the Middle East conflict. Residents reported hearing alarm sirens and received social media alerts from authorities instructing them to seek safety, although the source of the threat and the validity of the attack remained unconfirmed.
At dawn, a series of explosions were reported, prompting Bahrain's Interior Ministry to issue a message on X, advising residents to remain calm, seek nearby safe locations, and rely on official channels for information. Shortly after, Iran's Revolutionary Guardians announced an attack on a U.S. military base, claiming that six drones from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Air Force targeted the U.S. anti-aircraft defense radar system at the Al Riffa helicopter base in Bahrain.
Bahrain's military issued a statement confirming that it had successfully intercepted all incoming airstrikes before they could reach their intended targets. This development comes in the wake of a previous claim by Iran's Revolutionary Guards that they had launched an attack on a U.S. radar system in Bahrain on Friday, marking the first such incident against a Gulf country since early September. In a separate incident, the U.S. military reported intercepting and destroying two Iranian drones.
Iran has issued a fresh warning, stating that it will expand the geographical scope of the conflict if the United States launches further military strikes against the country. The warning comes in response to previous threats made on Thursday, in which Iran indicated its intention to target U.S. bases in Europe.
Iranian Parliament President and chief negotiator Mohamad Baqer Qalibaf emphasized that if the United States makes a strategic error, it will be the Iranian Armed Forces' capabilities and determination that define the geographical scope of the conflict, rather than American desires. In a separate development, Iran reiterated its warnings to vessels attempting to traverse the Strait of Hormuz.
Bahrain, home to a significant U.S. naval base, has been a target of repeated attacks from Tehran since the outbreak of the Middle East conflict, which began following U.S.-Israel airstrikes against Iran on February 28. A period of relative calm has ensued, with a truce observed in the fighting since September.
lgc (afp, dpa and efe)
