Iran launches drone attack on US military facility in Bahrain

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of Iran launched an attack using six drones against a US air defence radar facility at al-Riffa air base in Bahrain on Sunday. This incident marks the second time within three days that Iran has attempted to target the country, following an earlier drone strike on Friday.

Bahrain’s military reported that its air defence systems successfully intercepted and destroyed the drones before they could reach their targets. As the attack occurred, sirens were triggered across the nation, and the interior ministry instructed citizens to move to the nearest safe locations.

The IRGC claimed the operation was a retaliatory measure, although the group also stated that the Strait of Hormuz is closed and warned that any American aggression would result in a harsher response. In contrast, the US military confirmed that two one-way attack drones were fired at Bahrain on Friday, both of which were destroyed by US forces with no damage or injuries reported.

Tensions between the two nations remain high regarding the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping lane for global oil and gas supplies. While Iran asserts control over the area and challenges what it terms unauthorised traffic, the US military has been providing escort services for tankers to maintain exports from Gulf Arab states.

The diplomatic situation has deteriorated significantly, with the Kingdom of Bahrain’s foreign ministry stating: "The Kingdom of Bahrain condemns in the strongest terms the continued brutal Iranian attacks on its territory and holds Iran fully responsible for their consequences." This follows a breakdown in earlier efforts to reach an agreement regarding the strait, which had collapsed after shipping attacks resumed and the US reinstated a naval blockade of Iranian ports.

US officials noted that the US conducted limited, defensive strikes on Iran’s Qeshm Island earlier in the week in response to the IRGC firing on a US aircraft. Meanwhile, Iranian state news agency Irna reported explosions on Qeshm on Monday, and the IRGC claimed to have shot down two US MQM-170 drones south of the island along with one US MQ-9 drone east of the strait.

Regarding the prospect of future negotiations, Donald Trump indicated this week that the US is no longer interested in a deal to end the war with Iran. He has directed Vice-President JD Vance, who was previously involved in peace discussions, to prioritise domestic US politics instead.