The IAC between Iran and Bahrain was triggered on 28 February 2026 when the first strike launched by Iran on the sovereign territory of Bahrain against the United States base in Manama, which houses the Navy’s Fifth Fleet, took place.¹‘Multiple Arab states that host US assets targeted in Iran retaliation’, Al Jazeera, 28 February 2026; T. Bennett et al, ‘Luxury Dubai hotel hit as Iran launches retaliatory strikes across region’, BBC, 28 February 2026. This air base is the headquarters of the United States Naval Forces Central Command which oversees operations in the Gulf and surrounding areas.²L. Korte, ‘Here’s what’s going on at US bases in Middle East amid Iran attacks’, Stars and Stripes, 1 March 2026; ‘Where Are US Forces Stationed in the Middle East?’, Modern Diplomacy, 28 February 2026. The base was struck by a drone, causing material damage.³M. Kelly et al, ‘U.S. troops had little protection from drone strike that killed 6, imagery shows’, The Washington Post, 4 March 2026. In the same wave of initial attacks, Iran also targeted high-rise residential buildings in Manama, hotels, a water desalination plant, and a State-run oil refinery, causing damage to the surrounding neighborhoods.⁴L. Korte, ‘Here’s what’s going on at US bases in Middle East amid Iran attacks’, Stars and Stripes, 1 March 2026; S. Renfroe, ‘Iranian drones strike apartments in city that’s home to NSA Bahrain’, Stars and Stripes, 6 March 2026; S. Renfroe, ‘Bahrain desalination plant struck as water infrastructure becomes latest front in Iran war’, Stars and Stripes, 8 March 2026; S. Renfroe, ‘‘My stomach is still in knots’: Bahrain residents endure Iran’s attacks aimed at US naval base’, Stars and Stripes, 1 March 2026; ‘Multiple Arab states that host US assets targeted in Iran retaliation’, Al Jazeera, 28 February 2026. Bahrain saw near-daily drone, ballistic, and cruise missile attacks from Iran between 28 February and 13 April 2026.⁵B. Schmida et al, ‘Iran Update Special Report, April 13, 2026’, Institute for the Study of War, 13 April 2026; BDF Bahrain, X, 9 April 2026; BDF Bahrain, 13 April 2026. The IAC between Iran and Bahrain was ongoing at the time of reporting.

• 1
  ‘Multiple Arab states that host US assets targeted in Iran retaliation’, Al Jazeera, 28 February 2026; T. Bennett et al, ‘Luxury Dubai hotel hit as Iran launches retaliatory strikes across region’, BBC, 28 February 2026.
• 2
  L. Korte, ‘Here’s what’s going on at US bases in Middle East amid Iran attacks’, Stars and Stripes, 1 March 2026; ‘Where Are US Forces Stationed in the Middle East?’, Modern Diplomacy, 28 February 2026.
• 3
  M. Kelly et al, ‘U.S. troops had little protection from drone strike that killed 6, imagery shows’, The Washington Post, 4 March 2026.
• 4
  L. Korte, ‘Here’s what’s going on at US bases in Middle East amid Iran attacks’, Stars and Stripes, 1 March 2026; S. Renfroe, ‘Iranian drones strike apartments in city that’s home to NSA Bahrain’, Stars and Stripes, 6 March 2026; S. Renfroe, ‘Bahrain desalination plant struck as water infrastructure becomes latest front in Iran war’, Stars and Stripes, 8 March 2026; S. Renfroe, ‘‘My stomach is still in knots’: Bahrain residents endure Iran’s attacks aimed at US naval base’, Stars and Stripes, 1 March 2026; ‘Multiple Arab states that host US assets targeted in Iran retaliation’, Al Jazeera, 28 February 2026.
• 5
  B. Schmida et al, ‘Iran Update Special Report, April 13, 2026’, Institute for the Study of War, 13 April 2026; BDF Bahrain, X, 9 April 2026; BDF Bahrain, 13 April 2026.