Iran launched a drone assault targeting Bahrain on Saturday, while a ship in the Strait of Hormuz separately came under attack, likely in retaliation for overnight airstrikes by the United States. The attacks across the Persian Gulf underscore the volatility of the conflict, even after Iran and the US reached an interim deal aimed at a final accord to end hostilities.
US Airstrikes Trigger Escalation
The US had launched its airstrikes in response to an Iranian drone attack on a ship attempting to exit the strait on Thursday. This continued a string of attacks that have destabilized the uneasy ceasefire in the ongoing war. According to the Associated Press, the US strikes were meant to deter further Iranian aggression, but instead prompted a new wave of assaults.
Bahrain Condemns Iranian Drone Attack
Bahrain's Foreign Ministry confirmed that a "number of Iranian drones" targeted the kingdom, calling it "a flagrant threat to the security of citizens and residents." The choice of Bahrain as a target was likely strategic: the kingdom is a vocal critic of Iran and hosts the US Navy's 5th Fleet. It recently hosted US Secretary of State Marco Rubio for a Gulf Cooperation Council meeting, which concluded with a call for an end to Iranian attacks and the full reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard issued a statement via state-run IRNA claiming it had targeted several locations "of the US terrorist army in the region," though it did not specify the locations.
Ship Attacked as Strait Route Expands
Meanwhile, the British military's United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations centre reported that a tanker was attacked on Saturday in the Strait of Hormuz. The crew was safe, and no environmental damage was reported. No group immediately claimed responsibility, but suspicion fell on Iran. Shortly after the ship attack, the Joint Maritime Information Centre, overseen by the US Navy, announced it would expand a route near Oman's shores to allow both inbound and outbound traffic. This move is likely to create a new flashpoint with Tehran.
Iran has insisted that ships must obey its orders and has warned it will start charging fees for transit through the strait, through which a fifth of the world's oil and natural gas once passed. The US and Gulf Arab states have rejected these demands, asserting that the Strait of Hormuz is an international waterway, despite lying within the territorial waters of Iran and Oman. The Joint Maritime Information Centre warned that the threat to ships in the region is "substantial" and advised mariners of the presence of mines, expecting a naval presence as clearance operations continue.
