Bahrain, the most fragile kingdom of the Persian Gulf in the face of furious Shiite anger.

The Iran war has unsettled Gulf monarchies and raised questions about security guarantees from the United States and from normalization with Israel.

“Monarchy: The ruthless Saudi heir nurtures the dream of ending his great rival after the annihilation of the 'Hitler of the Middle East' in a dangerous double game”

El Mundo

Bahrain, a small island kingdom with 1.7 million inhabitants, sits at the edge of this crisis, where the majority Shia population (55% to 65% per sources) lives under a Sunni Al Jalifa regime.

El Mundo

The 2011 Bahrain Uprising exposed this fault line, and the regime crushed protests with police crackdowns and the help of Saudi Special Forces, illustrating the kingdom's fragility in the face of regional turmoil.

Despite censorship, protests and sympathy for Tehran surfaced in early March, prompting intensified police deployment.

The Bahrain Center for Human Rights reports that at least 60 people were arrested in recent days, including minors, in demonstrations against attacks on Iran, though an official figure was not confirmed.

El Mundo

Four citizens were detained on alleged involvement in espionage activities in favor of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, describing their acts as disloyalty and cooperation with adversaries.

Activists spread on social networks a claim that King Hamad had fled to Saudi Arabia, which officials called false, and the king addressed the nation promising peace, tolerance and coexistence.

Bahrain hosts the United States Fifth Fleet since the 1990s, with more than 15,000 military personnel and at least two dozen warships, making the base a hub of radars, intelligence and databases.

“Monarchy: The ruthless Saudi heir nurtures the dream of ending his great rival after the annihilation of the 'Hitler of the Middle East' in a dangerous double game”

El Mundo

Since February 28, the base has become one of the most coveted targets by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.

The alliance sealed in 1995 turned the small Gulf kingdom into one of the United States' main defense partners outside NATO, providing protection and strategic leverage in the region.

The base is central to three strategic points—the Strait of Hormuz, the Suez Canal, and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait—highlighting Bahrain's pivotal role in global security dynamics.

This presence is cited as one reason why Tehran-Manama relations have remained cold for decades.

Economically, Bahrain is the poorest among GCC allies, with oil reserves far lower than the rest and crude production not reaching 200,000 barrels per day by the end of 2025.

Its aluminum exports account for about 10% of global sales, a lifeline that is already being hit by the conflict.

El Mundo

The combination of a depleted treasury and public discontent adds to the kingdom's fragility, as the Al Jalifa monarchy struggles to cope with a rising pro-Tehran mood and domestic pressure.