Sirens Sounded in Bahrain for a Second Time
Gulf tensions intensify after coordinated missile and drone attacks on U.S. military sites.
Civil defence sirens echoed across Bahrain for a second time on Wednesday as tensions in the Gulf region escalated following coordinated missile and drone attacks targeting U.S. military facilities in the kingdom and neighbouring Kuwait.
فيديو ذات صلة
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Bahrain's Interior Ministry announced the latest alert on X, stating: "The siren has been sounded." Without providing specific details about the apparent threat, the ministry urged citizens and residents to remain calm and head to the nearest safe place.
IRGC Claims Responsibility for Attacks
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced on Wednesday that they had struck dozens of U.S. military facilities in Bahrain and Kuwait in response to American strikes. The statement, carried by state broadcaster IRIB, described the operation as an initial response to what Iran termed "aggression."
"In an initial response to this aggression, the IRGC Navy and Aerospace Force carried out a joint missile and drone operation, striking 85 key US military facilities in the two countries," the IRGC statement said, adding that Iranian forces also shot down an MQ-9 drone during the operation.
Kuwait Confronts Incoming Aerial Threats
The Kuwaiti army confirmed it was actively engaging hostile projectiles from the air. "Kuwaiti air defenses are currently engaging hostile missile and drone attacks," the army said on X, without specifying the origin of the incoming fire.
"The General Staff of the Army notes that any explosions heard are a result of air defense systems intercepting hostile attacks," the statement clarified, aiming to reassure residents amid growing concern about the security situation.
Civil Defence Protocols Activated
Separately, air sirens were activated in Bahrain on Wednesday, the interior ministry said. This marked a repeat activation of the civil defence alert system, which had previously been triggered earlier in the day as authorities responded to the unfolding crisis.
"The siren has been sounded," the ministry said on X. "Citizens and residents are urged to remain calm and head to the nearest safe place."
Escalating Regional Crisis
The coordinated attacks represent a significant escalation in what has become a widening Middle East crisis. The IRGC statement came after the United States launched fresh military strikes against Iran, reportedly in response to earlier Iranian attacks on commercial vessels transiting the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.
Read More: Bahrain Accuses Iran of 808 Attacks
Both Bahrain and Kuwait host substantial U.S. military presence. Bahrain is home to the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet headquarters, while Kuwait serves as a major logistics hub for American forces in the region. The targeting of facilities in both countries signals a deliberate effort to strike American military assets across the Gulf simultaneously.
Public Response and Government Communications
Authorities in both nations have maintained continuous communication with residents through official government platforms throughout the day. In Bahrain, the repeated activation of sirens has prompted concerns among residents about the potential for further attacks or extended periods of civil defence alerts.
The Kuwaiti army's public clarification about explosions being caused by interception systems appears designed to prevent panic while confirming that hostile fire is continuing into Kuwaiti airspace.