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Iran targets US Bahrain base again; drones shot down

Iran launched one-way drones toward a US military base in Bahrain on Sunday, its second attempt in three days, and US forces said both were shot down.

iran, bahrain, sunday, iranian, friday, military, attack, drone

Key facts

  • Earlier this week, the IRGC claimed it struck a US early warning radar system in Bahrain on Friday.
  • Iran launched drones toward a US military base in Bahrain on Sunday, its second attempt to target the country in three days. The US military said…
  • The US military denied the claim. It said the IRGC launched two one-way attack drones toward Bahrain and that US forces shot both of them down.

Earlier this week, the IRGC claimed it struck a US early warning radar system in Bahrain on Friday.

Iran launched drones toward a US military base in Bahrain on Sunday, its second attempt to target the country in three days. The US military said both were shot down.

The US military denied the claim. It said the IRGC launched two one-way attack drones toward Bahrain and that US forces shot both of them down.

Bahrain's military said its air defence systems intercepted and destroyed the Iranian air attacks"before they could achieve their objectives".

Sirens sounded across Bahrain on Sunday as the alerts went out. The interior ministry called on citizens to head to the nearest safe location.

Sunday's launch followed an Iranian drone attack on Bahrain on Friday, Iran's first strike against Gulf countries since September.

The IRGC did not comment on the Sunday attack. It said its forces had shot down two US MQM-170 drones south of the island and a US MQ-9 drone east of the Strait.

Iranian state news agency IRNA reported explosions on Qeshm on Monday.

Reported attacks on ships near the Strait of Hormuz have hit a record high, adding pressure around the waterway at the centre of the stand-off.

Dig deeper

What is the IRGC?

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is an elite branch of Iran's armed forces, separate from the regular military, that often runs missile and drone operations.

Why does a US base in Bahrain matter?

Bahrain is a small Gulf island kingdom that hosts the headquarters of the US Navy's Fifth Fleet, a hub for American naval operations in the region.

What is a one-way attack drone?

It is an unmanned aircraft built to fly to a target and detonate, rather than return and be reused.

What is Qeshm?

Qeshm is a large Iranian island in the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow shipping lane at the mouth of the Persian Gulf.

What is an MQ-9?

The MQ-9 Reaper is a US long-endurance drone used mainly for surveillance and, in armed versions, for strikes.

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