Dubai/Manama – Gulf states faced another night of intense aerial attacks as Iran pressed its sprawling retaliation campaign, with Bahrain reporting that an Iranian drone strike on the island of Sitra wounded 32 people overnight, including a two-month-old baby and a teenage girl with severe head injuries.
The attack marks one of the most significant instances of civilian casualties in the Gulf since the conflict began. According to a statement from Bahrain’s health ministry carried by the state news agency, all of the wounded were Bahraini citizens. Among the four cases described as “serious” was a 17-year-old girl who suffered severe head and eye injuries, and a two-month-old baby, highlighting the indiscriminate nature of the attacks on civilian areas.
Gulf States Under Continuous Fire
The attack on Bahrain was part of a broader, coordinated wave of attacks across the region. AFP journalists reported several explosions in the Qatari capital, Doha, which has been repeatedly targeted by Iranian drones and missiles since Tehran launched its massive retaliation campaign.
Other Gulf nations reported fresh interceptions on Monday:
- Qatar: The defence ministry confirmed its forces intercepted a missile attack.
- Saudi Arabia: The defence ministry announced it had intercepted and destroyed two waves of drones heading towards the strategic Shaybah oil field in the kingdom’s southeast.
- UAE: The National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority stated on X that air defences responded to a “missile threat.”
- Kuwait: A day after being targeted by seven missiles and five drones, the defence ministry announced another combined missile and drone attack on Monday, stating that air defences were actively working to intercept the threat.
US Withdraws Personnel
The escalating danger to American personnel has prompted action from Washington. The State Department issued a travel advisory on Sunday, stating it had “ordered non-emergency US government employees and US government employee family members to leave Saudi Arabia due to safety risks.”
This decision follows direct attacks on US diplomatic missions in the region. Drones have hit the US embassy in Riyadh and caused damage to the US embassies in Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates in recent days.
Context of the Conflict
The barrage on Gulf states is a direct consequence of the broader war ignited on February 28, when the United States and Israel launched a massive air campaign against Iran. That initial strike assassinated Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and triggered a vow of revenge from Tehran.
Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian has issued a stark warning to neighboring countries, stating that the Islamic Republic “will be forced to respond” if its territory is used to launch attacks against it. The Gulf states, which host US military installations, have become the primary theater for Iran’s retaliation.
