Iran claims six-drone attack on US radar base in Bahrain; authorities issue threat alerts

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on Sunday, November 15, claimed it had launched six drones at a US air-defence radar installation at a military base in Bahrain, as authorities in the Gulf kingdom issued warnings of potential security threats. "The US air defense radar system at the Al-Riffa helicopter base in Bahrain was targeted by six drones belonging to the IRGC Aerospace Force," the Guards said in a statement carried by Iranian state television, according to AFP. The IRGC described the operation as the second phase of its response to what it called US military aggression, according to Iranian media.

There was no immediate confirmation of the reported strike from US or Bahraini authorities. The extent of any damage and whether the drones reached their intended target could not be independently verified. Bahrain issues security warnings Bahrain's Interior Ministry issued two alerts on Sunday warning residents of potential threats, Reuters reported. These were the country's first such warnings since September. The ministry urged citizens and residents to remain calm, move to the nearest safe location and follow official instructions. It did not provide details about the nature of the threats.

Bahrain hosts the US Navy's Fifth Fleet and has been among the Gulf countries affected by attacks on American military facilities during the conflict with Iran. US denied an earlier Iranian attack claim Sunday's announcement followed a similar claim by the IRGC on November 13, when it said its forces had destroyed a US early-warning radar system in Bahrain. Iran said that operation was retaliation for an airstrike on a telecommunications tower in Sirik, in its southern Hormozgan province, near the Strait of Hormuz. The US military rejected the claim. US Central Command (CENTCOM) said American forces had intercepted two Iranian one-way attack drones headed towards Bahrain.

"There were no injuries or damage," CENTCOM said. The latest reported operation comes amid continuing uncertainty over diplomatic efforts to end the conflict between Washington and Tehran. US-Iran tensions persist over Strait of Hormuz The conflict began on February 28 with US and Israeli strikes on Iran, prompting Tehran to launch missile and drone attacks against American military facilities across the Gulf. Iran also moved to restrict shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a major route for international oil and gas shipments, while Washington imposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports. US President Donald Trump has indicated that Washington could refrain from further strikes if Iran and the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen avoid further provocations.

However, he has maintained that the naval blockade will continue. Separately, the Saudi-led coalition said on Sunday that it had intercepted two Houthi ballistic missiles directed towards Riyadh and three drones targeting Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province, Reuters reported.