Explosions Rock Bahrain as Iran-Gulf Tensions Escalate
Manama, Bahrain – Explosions rattled Bahrain’s capital, Manama, early Sunday morning, according to journalists on the ground. The attacks are the latest escalation in a widening conflict involving Iran and several Gulf nations, raising concerns about regional stability and global oil supplies.
Bahrain reports intercepting 125 missiles and 203 drones launched from Iran since the start of the war, with two deaths within the country. Across the Gulf region, a total of 24 fatalities have been reported as a result of the attacks.
The Saudi Ministry of Defense stated it destroyed ten drones targeting eastern Saudi Arabia and the capital, Riyadh. Meanwhile, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps denied responsibility for the attacks, a claim met with skepticism given the scale and coordination of the strikes. The United Arab Emirates also confirmed intercepting missiles and drones.
Despite the attacks, the UAE signaled a preference for de-escalation. Anwar Gargash, a presidential advisor, stated on X (formerly Twitter) that the Emirates retain the right to defend themselves but are choosing “restraint.” He added that the UAE “deployed sincere efforts until the last moment to mediate between Washington and Tehran to avoid this war.”
Iran has warned that ports in the Gulf are now considered legitimate targets and dismissed offers of assistance from Ukraine in countering drone attacks as a “joke.”
The escalating conflict is prompting international responses. South Korea has evacuated 204 of its citizens, along with seven other foreign nationals, from four Middle Eastern countries in what its Foreign Ministry described as an “unprecedented” operation. Kuwait’s international airport was targeted by drones Saturday evening, impacting its radar system. Authorities there have also arrested three individuals accused of using drones equipped with cameras, signaling a crackdown on the dissemination of information related to the attacks.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump called on countries reliant on oil transiting the Strait of Hormuz – currently disrupted by Iran – to ensure its security in coordination with the United States. In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump claimed the U.S. has “defeated and completely annihilated Iran” militarily and economically, but that securing the Strait of Hormuz is now the responsibility of oil-dependent nations, with U.S. assistance.
Amidst the turmoil, Lebanon is preparing to form a delegation to negotiate with Israel for a potential end to the conflict, according to an official source. Paris and Cyprus are being considered as potential locations for talks, though no date has been set. However, French diplomatic sources clarified there is “no French plan” to mediate an end to the war between Israel and Hezbollah.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has called on neighboring countries to “expel” what he termed “foreign aggressors,” arguing that the “so-called American security umbrella has proven to be full of holes and, far from deterring, it attracts trouble.”