Bahrain intercepted several Iranian aerial attacks on Sunday, the kingdom's military said, as Tehran claimed to have struck a US military installation in the Gulf state. The Bahrain Defence Force accused Iran of continuing its "systematic hostile approach" through attacks on the kingdom.
"With strong determination and high combat readiness, the air defence systems of the Bahrain Defence Force confronted, intercepted and destroyed a number of Iranian aerial attacks today ... before they could achieve their objectives," the military was quoted by the state-run Bahrain News Agency as saying.
The Interior Ministry twice urged citizens and residents to remain calm and proceed to the nearest safe location, advising them to follow developments through official channels. It did not specify the nature of the threats or identify potential targets. The alerts marked Bahrain's first nationwide public safety warnings since September, when the ministry issued similar instructions during Iranian drone attacks.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it had attacked a military base in Bahrain hosting US assets, in retaliation for what it described as "hostile US actions", the Fars news agency reported. The IRGC said it had launched six drones aimed at US air defence radar at Al Rifaa helicopter base. There was no immediate confirmation from US or Bahraini authorities that the installation had been hit.
The Iran-aligned Sabereen News channel reported on Telegram that explosions were continuing to be heard in Bahrain on Sunday morning, attributing them to Iranian drone attacks on American targets. Fars separately reported that the IRGC had described attacks on US bases in Bahrain as successful operations in retaliation for American actions against Iran. It provided no further details of the targets or any damage.
The IRGC Navy said late on Saturday night that two oil tankers had exploded and caught fire after striking naval mines while attempting to use what it described as an "unauthorised" route south of the Strait of Hormuz. In a statement published on its affiliated Sepah News Telegram channel, the IRGC said the vessels had switched off their navigation and automatic identification systems to avoid detection.
It added that two other tankers had abandoned their attempts to cross the passage and turned back after warnings. The claims have not been independently verified. No vessel identities, flags or ownership details were provided, and there was no immediate confirmation from maritime authorities that ships had struck sea mines.
Reports of projectile-related incidents in the region should be distinguished from the IRGC's separate claim of mine strikes. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia's air defences intercepted and destroyed two ballistic missiles launched towards Riyadh by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels, the Saudi-led coalition was quoted as saying on Sunday.
Three drones were also intercepted in the kingdom's Eastern Province, the Saudi Press Agency reported. The latest developments come as diplomatic efforts to end the conflict, which began with US and Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28, have yet to produce a breakthrough.
Fighting has eased more broadly between Washington and Tehran, but sporadic attacks have continued, with Iran launching missile and drone strikes against US military bases in Gulf countries. US President Donald Trump said he might halt further attacks against Iran if Washington faced no new provocations from Tehran or the Houthis in Yemen. He said the US would nevertheless maintain its naval blockade.
Bahrain hosts the headquarters of the US Navy's Fifth Fleet, making it a key centre for American military operations in the Gulf. Gulf Arab states on Friday demanded that Iran pay full compensation for damage caused by thousands of missile and drone attacks since February, calling on the UN Security Council to hold Tehran accountable and prevent further strikes.