Iranian guards claim drone strike on US naval base Bahrain

Yesterday 09:58

By: Dakir Madiha

Iranian guards claim drone strike on US naval base Bahrain

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it carried out a drone strike targeting the headquarters of the United States Fifth Fleet in Bahrain. The announcement came after a new round of US strikes on Iranian military sites, marking a rapid escalation between the two sides in the Gulf region. Iranian media reported that the operation took place around 2:30 a.m. local time and was framed as a direct response to what Tehran described as US aggression.

The Iranian military statement said naval forces deployed drones against the base located in Manama, which hosts the Fifth Fleet at a key naval support facility. Iranian sources also claimed the destruction of a US MQ-9 surveillance drone during the same operation. These claims could not be independently verified. US military authorities have not confirmed any damage to installations in Bahrain.

The escalation followed US airstrikes carried out in response to an earlier incident involving an Apache helicopter near the coast of Oman. According to US Central Command, the helicopter was downed after an Iranian drone attack, leading to the rescue of two pilots from the sea. Washington described its subsequent strikes on Iranian radar systems, air defense positions and command sites around the Strait of Hormuz as defensive action.

Tensions in the Gulf have intensified through repeated exchanges of fire over recent months. A ceasefire arrangement brokered earlier in 2026 has weakened as both sides resumed strikes across strategic maritime corridors. Bahrain has reported repeated air raid alerts, while Kuwait also faced drone attacks earlier in the month. Diplomatic channels between Washington and Tehran remain stalled, with no breakthrough reported in ongoing negotiations.