Iran launches drone attack on US military base in Bahrain

Iran launched a drone attack against a US military base in Bahrain on Sunday, using six drones to target the US air defence radar facility at al-Riffa air base. This is the second attempt by Iran to target Bahrain in three days. Bahrain's military reported that its air defence systems successfully intercepted and destroyed the Iranian air attacks before they could achieve their objectives.

The attack comes amid a stand-off between the US and Iran over the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway that handles about a fifth of the world's gas and oil supply. Iran insists it should control the strait and has been attacking what it calls "unauthorised" traffic, while the US military provides protection for tankers shuttling oil through the strait to keep exports flowing from Gulf Arab states.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed responsibility for the attack, stating that the Strait of Hormuz is closed and any aggression by the US will be met with a harsher response. The IRGC also claimed to have struck a US early warning radar system in Bahrain on Friday, although the US military denied the claim, stating that two one-way attack drones were shot down by US forces with no injuries or damage.

The US and Iran had reached a preliminary agreement to end the war and reopen the strait in June, but it collapsed within weeks after Iranian attacks on shipping resumed and the US reinstated a naval blockade of Iranian ports. Iranian negotiators had been discussing a proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within two days if the US meets seven conditions, including lifting the naval blockade and releasing frozen Iranian assets.

However, US President Donald Trump stated that the US is no longer interested in a deal to end the war with Iran and ordered Vice-President JD Vance to focus on domestic US politics. The US carried out limited and defensive strikes on Iran's Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz earlier this week, in response to the IRGC firing on a US aircraft.

The situation in the region remains tense, with Bahrain's foreign ministry condemning the Iranian attacks on its territory and holding Iran fully responsible for their consequences. The interior ministry also called on citizens to head to their nearest safe location during the attack, with sirens sounding across Bahrain.

The IRGC also claimed to have shot down two US MQM-170 drones south of Qeshm Island and a US MQ-9 drone east of the Strait. The incident highlights the ongoing conflict between the US and Iran, with both sides engaging in military actions and rhetoric that raises concerns about the stability of the region.

Key points

• Iran launched a drone attack on a US military base in Bahrain, targeting the US air defence radar facility at al-Riffa air base.
• The attack is part of a larger conflict between the US and Iran over the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway for global oil and gas supplies.
• The US and Iran had previously reached a preliminary agreement to end the war, but it collapsed due to resumed Iranian attacks on shipping and a US naval blockade.