Gulf Conflict Escalates: Bahrain Hit by Iranian Drone and Missile Strikes

Bahrain has emerged as one of the central flashpoints in a rapidly widening Gulf conflict, after Iran launched coordinated drone and missile strikes across the region in retaliation for joint US–Israeli attacks on Iranian targets. The island kingdom, host to the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet, was among the primary targets, with both military installations and civilian infrastructure struck in successive waves beginning February 28. While fighting has spread to Israel, Lebanon, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and key oil infrastructure across the Gulf, Bahrain’s strategic position and its hosting of US forces have placed it directly in the line of fire. According to official accounts cited in the source material, Bahraini air defences intercepted dozens of incoming threats during the initial barrage, reporting that 45 missiles and nine drones were shot down. Despite those interceptions, fires broke out at the US naval support centre and nearby command facilities associated with the Fifth Fleet headquarters. Eyewitness images showed thick black smoke rising over Manama following the strikes. The attack marked one of the most direct assaults on US military infrastructure in the Gulf in recent years and underscored Bahrain’s vulnerability as a frontline US ally. In a significant escalation affecting commercial shipping, the Stena Imperative, a US-flagged products tanker, was struck by two projectiles while docked at the Port of Bahrain. The resulting fire was extinguished and the crew evacuated safely. The attack underscores a direct threat to commercial maritime traffic inside Bahraini waters. Watch the live coverage: In central Manama, the Crowne Plaza hotel was hit by an Iranian drone, resulting in injuries. Later, debris from an intercepted missile struck the upper floors of the “Breaker” apartment tower, sparking a fire and forcing emergency evacuations. Authorities confirmed that Bahrain International Airport was also targeted by a drone, sustaining material damage, though no casualties were reported. Airport operations were suspended temporarily as regional airspace closures disrupted commercial travel. In Mina Salman port, debris from a defensive intercept ignited a fire aboard a freighter, killing one foreign crewman and injuring two others. On March 2, Bahrain said one person was killed by shrapnel from an intercepted missile. The death of a foreign worker at Salman Industrial City, working on a boat there, marks the kingdom’s first reported fatality in the war. Media reports also noted that at least four Bahrainis were wounded by falling debris in Manama. Officials said Iranian strikes in Bahrain hit civilian targets outside the US bases. The US Central Command confirmed three American service members were killed and five wounded during Iran’s counterstrikes across the region. US President Donald Trump vowed Washington would “avenge” the deaths and warned that further casualties were likely. Bahrain’s leadership condemned the strikes and reaffirmed its right to self-defence. King Hamad spoke with President Trump, who denounced Iran’s actions and pledged continued US support for Bahrain’s security. In Manama, US Embassy officials issued shelter-in-place advisories and authorised the departure of nonessential personnel. The US State Department raised Bahrain’s travel advisory to Level 3 (“Reconsider Travel”) due to ongoing security threats. Schools and courts were closed, and citizens were advised to remain indoors as emergency teams continued firefighting and search operations. (With inputs from agencies)