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Key facts
- Explosions were reported in Bahrain, the UAE, and Kuwait following US-Israeli strikes on Iran.
- Bahrain confirmed a missile attack hit a facility linked to the US Navy Fifth Fleet headquarters.
- Iran claimed responsibility for striking Sheikh Isa Air Base in Bahrain.
- Emergency sirens sounded across Bahrain, and residents were urged to seek shelter.
- The UAE temporarily closed its airspace as a precautionary measure.
- Qatar condemned the strikes and called for dialogue.
Tensions in the Gulf escalated sharply after US and Israeli forces conducted strikes on Iranian territory, prompting retaliatory actions from Iran. Explosions were reported across Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, and Kuwait.
Bahrain's National Communication Centre confirmed that a service center linked to the US Navy Fifth Fleet headquarters was hit in a missile attack on Saturday. Earlier, emergency sirens had sounded across the island kingdom, with authorities urging residents to seek shelter as blasts were heard in the capital, Manama. Iran had previously warned it might retaliate against countries hosting US military bases.
Residents in Abu Dhabi also reported hearing loud explosions, and the UAE announced a temporary and partial closure of its airspace as a precautionary measure. Explosions were also reported in Kuwait. The United States stated it carried out airstrikes on more than 80 targets across Iran earlier in the week, in response to Iran's attacks on three ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran's official IRNA news agency reported that Mohammad Reza Khazini, a member of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy, was killed during the US strikes. Iran later claimed responsibility for striking the Sheikh Isa Air Base in Bahrain, stating the attack targeted American forces. Qatar condemned the strikes and urged all parties to return to diplomacy.