"Blatant aggression": Bahrain slams Iran over missile strikes, vows to protect sovereignty
Manama, June 6
Bahrain has vehemently denounced a fresh wave of Iranian assaults directed at its territory and neighbouring Kuwait on Saturday, confirming that the two Gulf nations successfully neutralised seven missiles fired by Tehran.
In an official communique, the Bahraini Ministry of Foreign Affairs charged Iran with breaching the sovereignty of both states, branding the missile operations an act of aggression.
"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly condemns the renewed attacks by the Islamic Republic of Iran against the Kingdom of Bahrain and the sisterly State of Kuwait," the foreign ministry stated.
Characterising the hostilities as a "blatant aggression", the ministry underlined that the offensives constituted a grave violation of international protocols and the territorial sovereignty of both Gulf countries.
The diplomatic backlash follows a sharp spike in regional hostilities after reports emerged of missile interceptions across Bahrain and Kuwaiti airspace. Bahrain, which serves as the host of the United States Navy's Fifth Fleet, remains on high alert amid the ongoing crossfire involving Tehran and Washington.
Providing details on the military engagement, the United States military confirmed that its forces successfully intercepted several Iranian missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles directed at Gulf states and vital sea lanes, representing a sharp escalation between Washington and Tehran despite persistent diplomatic attempts to sustain a fragile ceasefire.
Detailing the sequence of events, a statement released by the US Central Command (CENTCOM) on Friday noted that American forces initially downed four Iranian one-way attack drones that were heading towards the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global maritime bottleneck.
CENTCOM highlighted that the drones presented an imminent hazard to regional commercial shipping. Consequently, American forces launched retaliatory strikes against Iranian coastal surveillance radar facilities located in Goruk and on Qeshm Island, explaining that the military action aimed to avert subsequent strikes on maritime assets and regional destinations.
Following those retaliatory manoeuvres, Iran launched seven ballistic missiles towards Kuwait and Bahrain later in the day, according to CENTCOM. Preliminary evaluations revealed that six of these missiles were successfully brought down, while the remaining seventh missile fell short of its objective.
The US military confirmed that no American personnel sustained injuries during the missile barrages.
Furthermore, CENTCOM dismissed assertions made by Tehran claiming that its strikes had successfully hit the US Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain, flatly refuting the allegations as completely false.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Honestly, this feels like a proxy war playing out in someone else's backyard. The US and Iran have been at loggerheads for decades, and now Gulf states are caught in the middle. Bahrain hosting the Fifth Fleet makes it a target. I just hope Indian workers in Bahrain and Kuwait are safe - we have lakhs of them there working hard for their families. 🙏
Blatant aggression is the right term. Iran should know better than to fire missiles at sovereign nations. That said, the US isn't exactly innocent here - their retaliatory strikes on Iranian radar facilities only fuel the cycle of violence. Both sides need to de-escalate. India's position of strategic autonomy is looking more sensible by the day.
As someone who follows geopolitics closely, this is deeply concerning. Seven missiles fired at two countries - this isn't just posturing. The fact that CENTCOM confirmed Iranian claims about hitting the Fifth Fleet are false shows how misinformation spreads even in wartime. India must call for restraint through diplomatic channels. Our non-aligned roots matter here.
Great that the missiles were intercepted, but the underlying tensions remain. The Strait of Hormuz is a chokepoint for global oil - any disruption hits India directly. We import over 80% of our crude from the Gulf. Time for New Delhi to step up mediation efforts. We have good relations with both Iran and the Gulf states. 🇮🇳
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