Iran targets Bahrain airbase as Gulf strikes resume
Iran has targeted an airbase in Bahrain as strikes resume after a lull since September, with public warnings and sirens sounding in the Gulf kingdom. Iranian media reported that the IRGC said it launched six drones against a US air-defence radar at the Al-Rifaa helicopter base, about a 30-minute drive south of Manama, in retaliation for “hostile US actions.” Explosions were heard near the capital, but Bahraini authorities said air defences intercepted the attack before it reached its targets.
Bahrain sits directly across the Persian Gulf from Iran and hosts the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet. It has been repeatedly struck by Tehran during a war marked by flare-ups and long pauses. There is concern that Sunday’s assault could signal a wider resumption while US President Donald Trump has threatened but not returned to major combat. Negotiations remain stalled, with Washington maintaining a naval blockade and Iran keeping its grip on the Strait of Hormuz.
Oil-export routes face added strain in the Red Sea. Yemeni government forces backed by Saudi Arabia have retreated from the Bab el-Mandeb area, giving Iran-aligned Houthi rebels greater control of the shipping lane Gulf producers had used to move supplies. Separately, Hamas confirmed that a senior commander involved in planning the 7 October attacks was killed in an Israeli airstrike on Saturday.
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