Bahrain Military Intercepts Iranian Attacks; Gulf States Condemn Escalation

Bahraini Army slams Iran's 'heinous' attacks; Qatar, UAE condemn strikes on Gulf states

Manama, June 10

In a post on X, the Bahraini army said Iran "continues its systematic hostile approach through its heinous attacks using missiles and drones targeting civilians".

The military added that "The General Command affirms all its weapons and units are at the highest levels of readiness and are fully prepared for defence to protect the kingdom."

Authorities also urged residents to remain vigilant, calling on the public to "exercise caution" and avoid approaching or touching "any suspicious objects resulting from the remnants of the brutal Iranian attack and to report them immediately".

According to the statement, "deliberately" targeting civilians and private property with missiles and drones constitutes a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law."

Meanwhile, Qatar joined regional condemnation of the attacks, describing Iran's actions against Kuwait, Bahrain and Jordan as a "flagrant violation" of their sovereignty and "a clear breach of international law".

In a post on X, Qatar's Foreign Ministry said it "stresses the need to spare the region the consequences of such unjustified attacks and to work toward de-escalation in order to restore security and stability at both the regional and international levels".

The ministry also reiterated its "full solidarity" with the three countries and its "support for all measures they take to preserve their sovereignty and security".

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) also strongly condemned what it described as "terrorist and unprovoked ballistic missile and drone attacks" by Iran targeting Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan.

In a post on X, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the attacks "constitute a flagrant violation of the sovereignty of the three brotherly nations and a threat to their security and stability".

The ministry further expressed the UAE's "full solidarity" with Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan and its support for "all measures aimed at safeguarding their security and stability".

Providing immediate operational context to this heavy bombardment on its soil, a significant geographical expansion of the ongoing West Asian conflict had unfolded earlier on Wednesday as the IRGC launched a retaliatory drone attack against the US Fifth Fleet in Bahrain, according to Tasnim News Agency.

Detailing that overnight operation, the Iranian broadcaster stated, "IRGC Navy forces launched a drone attack at 2:30 a.m. against the U.S. Fifth Fleet in Bahrain," citing an IRGC statement which warned that should what it described as US "aggression" continue, it would face consequences of greater severity.

This cross-border escalation came hours after US Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed that American Air Force and Navy fighter jets had struck Iranian air defence installations, ground control stations, and surveillance radar sites near the strategic Strait of Hormuz using precision munitions.

Detailing the objective behind the heavy aerial campaign, CENTCOM described the operation as "a proportional response to recent attacks on US forces and international commercial ships transiting regional waters," asserting that US forces "remain vigilant and postured to defend against unjustified Iranian aggression."

The high-stakes American strikes were themselves triggered by a maritime flashpoint on Monday, when Iran downed a US Army AH-64 Apache helicopter near the coast of Oman.

— ANI