MANAMA, BAHRAIN July 24, 2026 – Iran has launched new strikes targeting Bahrain, according to multiple reports circulating Friday evening, marking another escalation in the ongoing 2026 Iran war.
BRICS News first reported the development with a “JUST IN” alert stating that Iran had launched strikes on the Gulf kingdom. Iranian state media and affiliated outlets later claimed responsibility, saying the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and army forces struck U.S.-linked military sites in Bahrain, including the control tower of the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet headquarters in Manama and Sheikh Isa Air Base.
Bahrain activated air-raid sirens early Friday, warning residents to take shelter from detected incoming fire. The alerts came hours after U.S. Central Command announced the completion of its 13th consecutive night of strikes against Iranian targets, aimed at degrading Tehran’s ability to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
Open-source accounts and local monitoring reported smoke rising near the U.S. Fifth Fleet facilities in Manama, consistent with claims of direct impacts. No immediate official casualty figures or detailed damage assessments from Bahraini authorities were available at the time of reporting.
The strikes fit a months-long pattern. Since February 2026, Iran has repeatedly targeted Bahrain and other Gulf states hosting U.S. bases in retaliation for American airstrikes on Iranian missile, drone, and naval infrastructure. Bahrain has recorded hundreds of Iranian missile and drone attacks, some of which have damaged residential areas and military installations while causing limited civilian casualties.
Both sides continue to accuse each other of violating earlier ceasefire understandings. The conflict, which began over control of the vital Strait of Hormuz shipping lane, has already driven global oil prices above $100 a barrel and drawn in regional actors including the Houthis.
Bahraini officials have previously condemned the attacks as a systematic violation of sovereignty and called for international accountability. U.S. and Bahraini forces have intercepted many incoming projectiles, though some have reached their targets.
The situation remains fluid as exchanges of fire continue into the weekend.
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