Iran's elite military unit, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), claims to have carried out a large-scale missile and drone attack that key facilities at the US Fifth Fleet base in Bahrain were destroyed. According to information from the semi-official Iranian Fars News Agency, quoted by world media, the strike was carried out as part of the large-scale operation “Nasr 2“. This is another escalation of the conflict in the Middle East, after the US renewed its intensive bombing of coastal military targets in southern Iran in recent days.
What does Tehran claim?
An official statement from the IRGC, published by the Fars Agency, states that the joint operation of the Islamic Republic's air and naval forces achieved direct hits on the following strategic facilities in Bahrain:
- Fuel Infrastructure: Completely destroyed and engulfed in flames are the main fuel tanks of the American base.
- Command Structures: The operational command and control center, including the drone control center, was hit.
- Logistics and Air Defense: Large warehouses for spare parts and military equipment were destroyed, as well as the US Patriot air defense radar system, air surveillance radar, and C-RAM early warning systems.
The Iranian side emphasizes that the attack is a “deserved response“ of American aggression in the region and the violation of the fragile ceasefire agreement.
Bahrain and US positions as of 6:00 AM
Despite Tehran's strong claims, official authorities in the Kingdom of Bahrain and the US Central Command (CENTCOM) present a different picture of events:
- Air defenses activated: Bahrain's Ministry of Defense confirmed that loud explosions were heard in the capital Manama and air raid sirens were activated for the third time in a row.
- Interception Claims: The Bahraini army announced that its air defense systems are intercepted and destroyed most of Iran's missiles and drones, accusing Tehran of deliberately targeting civilian areas.
- Official damage: The US side confirms that the Salman port area and the Fifth Fleet service center were targeted, but denies the scale of the destruction described by Iran. At present, there is no official data on the deaths of American servicemen in the specific midnight strike.
Context of the escalation
The Persian Gulf region has entered a critical phase of military conflict after the administration of US President Donald Trump imposed a renewed naval blockade and a 20% tax on cargo passing through the vital Strait of Hormuz. In response, the KGIR declared the strait "closed until further notice", attacked several international tankers and began shelling a chain of US bases in the Middle East, located in Kuwait, Jordan, Oman and Bahrain. World markets reacted swiftly, with the price of Brent crude oil jumping more than 5%, exceeding $86 a barrel.