Iranupdated 1h ago2 min read
Archive photo · 25 February 2020Bahrain Army Says It Destroyed Several Iranian Airstrikes Before Hitting Targets
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Bahrain says air defenses intercepted and destroyed several Iranian airstrikes before reaching targets. IRGC claimed to have attacked a U.S. base in Bahrain in retaliation.
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Bahrain intercepts Iranian strikes
The Bahraini Army announced that its air defense systems intercepted and destroyed several Iranian airstrikes before they could hit their targets. The Bahraini Ministry of Interior urged citizens and residents to move to the nearest safe location after a security alert, and it issued a warning on its X account for the second time.
The IRGC announced on November 15 that it had attacked a U.S. military base in Bahrain in retaliation for “America’s aggressive actions,” and Press TV reported that the group fired six unmanned aerial vehicles toward a U.S. air defense radar system at the Al-Rifaa helicopter base. The Bahrain Army stated that its air defense system intercepted the airstrikes before Iranian weapons reached their targets, while it accused Tehran of continuing its “systematic aggressive approach” toward Bahrain.
Competing claims and denials
The IRGC’s statement emphasized that “This is a serious warning to the enemies” and said the group’s Air and Space Forces were ready to respond “without limits” if violations and aggression were repeated. The U.S. military dismissed the report, claiming it had intercepted two Iranian drones without any damage.
The Bahrain Ministry of Interior urged citizens to remain calm and move to the nearest safe location, and it asked people to follow news and developments only through official sources. The IRGC claim also came after the IRGC announced two days earlier that it had attacked and destroyed a U.S. early warning radar system in Bahrain, while the U.S. military dismissed the earlier report as well.
Regional reactions and stakes
Ismail Bagheri, spokesperson for Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said on November 15 that Tehran had gathered evidence of regional countries supporting the United States in attacks against Iran and warned that “Regional countries must take responsibility for the consequences of U.S. and Israel’s aggression against Iran.” Bahrain’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the IRGC’s attacks as violations of international law and stressed that “no justification can be found for such an act that violates national sovereignty.”
Jordan criticized Iran’s targeting of Bahrain as “an action that violates sovereignty and threatens the security, stability, and territorial integrity of the country,” and it called the attack a “dangerous escalation of tension.” Qatar’s Foreign Ministry condemned the continued attacks by the Islamic Republic against Bahrain as a “blatant violation of Bahrain’s sovereignty and territorial integrity” and warned that continued attacks would heighten dangerous tensions and could undermine political and diplomatic efforts to reduce tensions and establish regional stability.