Iran's Revolutionary Guards said on Sunday that their forces had carried out a drone attack on a US air defence radar system at the Al-Riffa helicopter base in Bahrain, the second Iranian strike on the Gulf kingdom in three days. Blasts rang out over Bahrain in the early hours, with explosions heard around 4am (0100 GMT) and a second series reported around 6:30am. Bahrain's military said it had intercepted several Iranian attacks, and its foreign ministry confirmed that air defence systems had shot down Iranian drones before they could reach their intended targets.

Sirens sounded across the island and authorities posted alerts on social media urging residents to seek shelter, their first such warnings since September. The interior ministry called on residents to remain calm, proceed to the nearest safe location and follow news through official channels. The Guards said six drones belonging to the IRGC Aerospace Force had targeted the radar, adding in a statement carried by Iranian state broadcaster that the Strait of Hormuz was closed and that any aggression by the American enemy would be met with a harsher response.S1S2

Bahrain, which hosts a major US naval base, has been heavily targeted during the Middle East war that began on February 28. The energy-rich Gulf has borne the brunt of Iranian strikes, and Bahrain is among the Gulf countries that have weathered thousands of Iranian drone and missile strikes. The Bahraini foreign ministry said the tiny island nation "rejects turning its territory into an arena for settling scores" and holds Iran fully responsible for the attacks and their consequences. On Friday, the Guards had said their forces targeted a US early warning radar system in Bahrain, the first of the recent strikes.S1

Over more than eight months of war, Iran has restricted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz oil trade route and struck infrastructure including airports, seaports, energy facilities and US assets across the region. Iranian state media framed the latest strike as retaliation for US attacks on Iranian civilian areas.S1S2