Iran strikes U.S.-linked targets in Bahrain

Abdullateef Fowewe

Iranian drones struck at targets in and around Bahrain early Saturday.

Local reports said, intensifying a week-long cycle of tit‑for‑tat attacks between Iran and the United States that has raised fears of broader conflict in the Gulf.

Bahraini authorities, which host the U.S. Fifth Fleet, reported that multiple unmanned aerial vehicles were launched toward the kingdom.

One drone was intercepted, a second crashed near an airport, and a third reportedly hit an oil tanker transiting close to the Strait of Hormuz, according to regional media.

Tehran has repeatedly said it will respond to actions it deems hostile.

In Manama, government statements condemned the attack and said Bahrain “reserves the right to respond” to any violation of its sovereignty and threats to regional security.

The kingdom hosts significant U.S. naval assets, making it a strategic focal point for both deterrence and potential escalation.

A shipping industry alert and maritime tracking services confirmed an incident involving an oil tanker near the Strait of Hormuz, a vital chokepoint that handles roughly one‑third of the world’s seaborne oil shipments.