MANAMA (The Thursday Times) — Bahrain on Sunday held Iran “fully responsible” for a fresh air attack on its Riffa Air Base, saying its air defences intercepted several Iranian aerial attacks, while Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan, and Egypt condemned the strike.
Bahrain’s foreign ministry denounced what it called “a resumption of Iran’s aggression” and said the attacks, launched by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), violated international law. “No pretext can legitimise violations of state sovereignty,” the ministry said, adding that Bahrain also “rejects the use of its territory to settle accounts”. Riffa Air Base is used by the US military.
The IRGC said it launched six drones at a US air defence radar system at the base in response to what it described as hostile US actions, and said the Strait of Hormuz remained closed. The US military had not commented on Sunday’s claim at the time of writing. Bahrain’s interior ministry sounded sirens at about 4:30am and urged residents to move to the nearest safe location.
Tehran defends the strikes
Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei accused Gulf countries of helping US strikes on Iran, saying missiles, drones, and aircraft launched from bases in neighbouring countries, along with logistical support, were proof of their involvement. He said Iran’s attacks were justified under Article 51 of the UN Charter, were “purely defensive in nature”, and had targeted only US military bases and assets used against Iran.
Bahrain has called for the full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 2817, which condemned Iranian attacks on Bahrain and other countries in the region and demanded that they stop.
Gulf and Arab condemnation
Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry said the attacks violated international law and the principles of good neighbourliness, and urged an immediate halt to what it called “blatant Iranian attacks” on countries of the region. Qatar’s foreign ministry said their continuation was “a dangerous escalation” that would complicate efforts to contain tensions and undermine diplomacy. Jordan condemned the “brutal attacks” on the “sister kingdom” as a violation of its sovereignty, while Egypt said the security of Bahrain and the Gulf states was closely linked to its own national security.
Second claim in three days
On Friday the IRGC said it had destroyed a US early-warning radar facility in Bahrain after what it described as an air attack on a telecommunications tower in southern Iran. US Central Command denied that, saying it had shot down two IRGC drones with no injuries or damage, as reported earlier. Reports said Friday was the first time since early September that Iran had claimed an attack on US military assets in a Gulf country. Manama is home to the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet.
