The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it had attacked and destroyed a US early-warning radar on the island of Bahrain. The claim was broadcast by Iranian state television and has not been confirmed by the US or the Bahraini authorities.
According to the statement, the operation was carried out by the IRGC Aerospace Force several hours before the announcement. Iran's Revolutionary Guard presented the strike as a retaliatory action following an air attack on a telecommunications tower in Sirik, a port city in Iran's southern Hormozgan province.
„Several hours ago, fighters from the IRGC Aerospace Force attacked and destroyed an early-warning radar belonging to the American aggressors on the island of Bahrain, in response to an enemy air attack on a telecommunications tower in Sirik,“ the IRGC said.The Revolutionary Guard described the operation as a „serious warning“ and called on the US to halt its aerial provocations and what Tehran calls the smuggling of oil through the Strait of Hormuz. The statement also said that, should similar actions be repeated, the IRGC Aerospace Force was ready to respond.
No confirmation from Washington and Manama
Neither the US authorities nor Bahrain have confirmed that a strike was carried out against a US radar or another facility on the island. This leaves the information at the level of a claim by the Iranian side.
Military bases and facilities in Bahrain have been attacked several times in recent months as part of the conflict between Iran, the US and Israel. The war began in late February with US-Israeli strikes against Iran, after which the hostilities spread across the Persian Gulf region.
The Strait of Hormuz remains at the center of the conflict
The IRGC also linked its latest claim to tensions surrounding the Strait of Hormuz. In October, the US Central Command said it had helped Gulf states export 1.5 billion barrels of oil through the strategic maritime route since the beginning of summer. Before the war, one-fifth of the world's oil and gas supplies passed through the strait.
Tehran has imposed restrictions on shipping through the strait, while Washington has blockaded Iranian ports and is escorting oil tankers. The next development depends on whether the US or Bahrain will issue an official response to the attack claimed by Iran.
Sources: bta.bg, malaysia.news.yahoo.com, arabnews.pk