Iran Claims Bahrain Drone Attack on US Base
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said on Sunday that the Bahrain drone attack targeted a United States radar system at a military base in the kingdom, with six drones fired in what they called a second phase of retaliation against Washington. Bahrain sounded sirens and issued its first nationwide threat alert in months.
The claim came in an IRGC statement carried by Iranian state media and the IRGC-linked Fars news agency. It said the IRGC Aerospace Force had targeted the US air defence radar at the Al-Riffa helicopter base in Bahrain, and called the strike precise and successful.
Bahrain’s Interior Ministry urged citizens and residents to stay calm and go to the nearest safe place. Bahrain television reported that air defences intercepted and destroyed an Iranian drone, with explosions reported across the kingdom during the morning.
The claim has not been independently verified, and no evidence of damage or casualties has been published.
Bahrain drone attack follows Friday claim
The Sunday claim followed a similar claim on Friday, when the IRGC said it had destroyed a US early-warning radar in Bahrain. US Central Command disputed that, saying its forces had shot down two Iranian one-way attack drones heading for Bahrain, with no injuries or damage.
The two claims show how the fighting has spread beyond Iran since the war began on February 28, 2026, when the United States and Israel launched surprise attacks on Iran. Since then, Iranian forces have fired missiles and drones at US bases across the Gulf, and the IRGC has repeatedly targeted early-warning radars and air defence systems.
Bahrain hosts the headquarters of the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet, a central hub for American military operations in the Gulf. The Al-Riffa base hosts US helicopters. The Saudi-led coalition also said it had intercepted missiles targeting Riyadh and drones in the Eastern Province, according to Dawn.
The IRGC statement also said the Strait of Hormuz was closed, a claim no independent source has confirmed. Shipping there has already faced severe disruption, and three oil tankers were hit by mines in the strait earlier in the conflict, while attacks on merchant vessels have raised insurance costs.
What it means for Pakistan
The fighting reaches Pakistan directly. Pakistan imports most of its oil and gas from Gulf producers, so any threat to shipping or Gulf energy facilities feeds into fuel prices at home, a pressure Pakistan has felt since the war began, as earlier reporting on the war’s impact on Pakistan showed.
Millions of Pakistanis live and work in the Gulf, including in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Their safety and their remittances, one of Pakistan’s largest sources of foreign exchange, depend on the region staying stable.
Pakistan has pressed for a diplomatic way out. At the UN Security Council on Friday, Pakistan’s envoy Syed Haider Shah called for an end to military provocations in the Gulf and urged dialogue to protect civilians and shipping. Russia and China made a similar call at the UN, while Pakistan and 16 other nations condemned an Israeli strike on a Gaza hospital on Saturday.
Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson, Esmaeil Baqaei, rejected on Sunday a US claim that Iran had started the conflict with the 1979 Revolution. The exchange shows neither side agrees even on the basic facts of the war.
Until the United States or Bahrain confirms what was hit, the Sunday claim remains an Iranian assertion, not an established fact. If the attacks continue, pressure will grow on Gulf states and the UN to stop the fighting.
Frequently asked questions
What did Iran claim about Bahrain?
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said six of their drones targeted a US air defence radar at the Al-Riffa helicopter base in Bahrain on Sunday, calling it the second phase of retaliation against the United States.
Has the attack been confirmed?
No. Neither the United States nor Bahrain has confirmed the damage Iran claimed. Bahrain said its air defences intercepted an Iranian drone.
What did Bahrain tell its residents?
Bahrain issued its first nationwide threat alert since September, and the Interior Ministry urged citizens and residents to stay calm and go to the nearest safe place as sirens sounded.
What happened on Friday?
The IRGC claimed on Friday that it had destroyed a US early-warning radar in Bahrain. US Central Command said it had shot down two Iranian drones heading for Bahrain, with no injuries or damage.
Why does the Bahrain attack matter for Pakistan?
Pakistan depends on Gulf oil and gas, and millions of Pakistanis work in the Gulf. Attacks on Gulf bases and shipping can push up fuel prices in Pakistan and put Pakistani workers at risk, which is why Pakistan has called at the UN for an end to military provocations in the region.
