Iran launched a drone assault targeting Bahrain while a ship in the Strait of Hormuz separately came under attack Saturday, likely Tehran’s response to overnight airstrikes by the United States.
The attacks across the Persian Gulf demonstrate the danger of the Iran war potentially spiraling out of control, even after Iran and the U.S. reached an interim deal aimed at finalizing a conflict resolution accord.
The U.S. had conducted its airstrikes in reaction to an Iranian drone attack on a vessel attempting to exit the strait on Thursday, continuing a series of incidents that have unsettled the fragile ceasefire in the war.
Concurrently, a multinational maritime body managed by the U.S. Navy announced Saturday plans to expand a route near Oman within the strait to permit both inbound and outbound traffic—a move likely to create a new point of tension with Tehran.
### Bahrain Condemns Iranian Drone Attack
The targeting of Bahrain by Iran was likely not accidental. The kingdom is among the staunchest critics of Iran and hosts the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet. It recently hosted U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio for a meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council’s foreign ministers, which concluded with a call for an end to Iranian attacks and the complete opening of the strait.
A statement from Bahrain’s Foreign Ministry reported that "a number of Iranian drones" targeted the country. It characterized the attack as "a flagrant threat to the security of citizens and residents."
Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard issued a statement via the state-run IRNA news agency earlier Saturday, claiming it had struck several locations belonging to the "U.S. terrorist army in the region."
The statement did not specify which areas were targeted.
The U.S. military’s Central Command stated that the overnight strikes hit Iranian missile and drone sites as well as coastal radar installations.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance, who has led American negotiations with Iran, told social media Friday night that Iran should "pick up the phone" regarding disagreements over the ceasefire agreement.
Vance added, “But violence will be met with violence.”
The U.S. and Iran are still negotiating the terms of the deal, which includes issues such as guaranteeing ship passage through the key strait and addressing the future of Iran’s highly enriched uranium stockpile. Under the interim arrangement, both sides have 60 days to finalize the details.
### Ship Attacked as Strait Route Expands
Meanwhile, the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center reported that a tanker was attacked in the strait on Saturday; they confirmed the crew was safe and no environmental damage occurred. While no one immediately claimed responsibility for the strike, suspicion quickly focused on Iran.
Shortly after the ship attack report, the Joint Maritime Information Center, overseen by the U.S. Navy, announced the expansion of the route near Oman’s shores to allow both inbound and outbound traffic.
Iran has maintained that vessels must adhere to its directives and warned it would begin charging fees for transit through the strait, which historically carried one-fifth of all oil and natural gas. However, ships have been increasingly attempting to leave the Gulf recently, much to Iran's displeasure.
Ebrahim Azizi, who heads the Iranian parliament’s national security commission, wrote Friday that “the Strait of Hormuz is governed by Iran, so: Respect the rules.”
The U.S. and Gulf Arab states have rejected Iran’s demands. The strait is globally recognized as an international waterway, despite being within the territorial waters of Iran and Oman.
In its announcement, the Joint Maritime Information Center cautioned that the threat to ships in the region was "substantial."
It advised, “Mariners are advised of the existence of mines and should expect a naval presence as clearance operations continue.”