Iran says it hit US bases in Bahrain, radar sites in Oman

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced on Monday that its forces had targeted American military infrastructure in Juffair, Bahrain, and long-range air surveillance installations in Oman, according to a statement carried by state broadcaster IRIB. The strikes involved missiles and drones, the IRGC Navy said, marking a significant expansion of Tehran's attacks against US assets in the Gulf. The claims came shortly after the elite force declared the Strait of Hormuz closed to maritime traffic "until further notice," a move that threatens to disrupt global oil shipments.

Bahrain's Interior Ministry confirmed air raid sirens sounded across the kingdom shortly after the Iranian announcement, urging citizens and residents to remain calm and proceed to the nearest safe place. The alarm reflected growing fears of direct conflict on Bahraini soil, where the US Navy's Fifth Fleet maintains its headquarters. Authorities in Manama have not confirmed damage to facilities, though the warnings signaled heightened alert status throughout the island nation.

Strait closure threats

The IRGC stated that the only way to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to maritime traffic was for the US to end its military interference in the strategic waterway and respect the sovereignty of coastal states. "Continued US military activities in the Strait of Hormuz would lead to greater incidents affecting the global oil and gas sector," the force warned in its official statement. The threat underscores Tehran's determination to leverage its control over the chokepoint — through which one-fifth of world oil consumption passes — to pressure Washington.

The latest attacks came amid rapidly deteriorating relations between Tehran and Washington, just weeks after the two sides signed a memorandum of understanding under Pakistani mediation aimed at ending their military conflict. US President Donald Trump announced in light of the recent escalation that the agreement was "over," effectively terminating the peace effort. The IRGC closed the waterway to commercial traffic on Sunday following earlier attacks on vessels in the strategic passage, compounding fears of sustained regional conflict.