Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has claimed it targeted a US early-warning radar in Bahrain, warning that its Aerospace Force stood ready to engage without limits if what it called violations and acts of aggression recur. The IRGC described a series of aerial provocations and oil smuggling in the Strait of Hormuz.
The IRGC said the attack was retaliation for what it described as an aerial strike on a telecommunications tower in southern Iran. Iran's state news agency IRNA, citing official sources, reported earlier Thursday that the port city of Sirik in Hormozgan province had been hit by “enemy fire”.
In a statement carried by the semi-official Tasnim news agency, the IRGC called the strike a “serious warning” to the “aggressor enemy” and said its Aerospace Force stood ready to “engage without limits” should violations recur. The IRGC-affiliated Fars news agency said the radar installation had been “targeted and destroyed”.
There was no immediate comment from Washington or Manama. Bahrain hosts the headquarters of the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet, which was hit in the opening hours of the war on February 28. Satellite images analysed by Al Jazeera showed direct hits on several radar domes and damage across the base.
The claim comes as Israel’s security cabinet has ordered the military to step up preparations for a possible attack on Iran, according to Israeli media including public broadcaster KAN. Iran’s security chief Mohsen Rezaei has warned that if the US launches another war, every military base involved, from West Asia to Europe, would be a legitimate target for Iranian strikes.
According to the Reuters news agency, this is the first time since early September that Iran has claimed an attack on US military assets in a Gulf country. The war began on February 28 with US and Israeli attacks on Iran.
US President Donald Trump has said he is prepared to return to war if the diplomatic track offered by Qatar fails to deliver a deal. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said economic pressure on Iran is working well enough that resuming large-scale military operations is unnecessary.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The strike shows the war between the US and Iran remains active in the Gulf, with direct attacks on US military installations in allied states.
- It underscores the vulnerability of US bases in the region, some of which analysts say have been almost rendered unusable.
- The escalation risks a wider conflict as both sides trade warnings and the US weighs further strikes on Iran.
Background
The war began on February 28 with US and Israeli attacks on Iran. The Fifth Fleet headquarters in Manama was hit in the opening hours, and a Pentagon inspector general’s report released in September found Iranian attacks damaged or destroyed hundreds of buildings at US installations in eight countries in the first four months of the war. The US has reportedly reduced troop numbers at bases in the region and ordered some diplomatic staff to leave, according to news outlets, as President Trump weighs new strikes.
Key Perspectives
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps: says the strike was a “serious warning” to the “aggressor enemy” over aerial provocations and oil smuggling in the Strait of Hormuz, and that its Aerospace Force stands ready to “engage without limits”.
Iran’s security chief Mohsen Rezaei: has warned that if the US launches another war, every military base involved, anywhere from West Asia to Europe, would be a legitimate target.
US President Donald Trump: has said he is prepared to return to war if the diplomatic track offered by Qatar fails.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio: has said economic pressure on Iran is working well enough that resuming large-scale military operations is unnecessary.
Iran’s parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf: said in an interview with Al Jazeera on Wednesday that the Strait of Hormuz would never go back to how it was before the war, and that “the ball is now in the American court”.
What to Watch
- Any official US or Bahraini response to the claim, including whether Washington confirms the radar site was damaged.
- Whether the US carries out new strikes on Iran, as Trump has said he is considering.
- Further Israeli preparations for a possible attack on Iran, as reported by Israeli media.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 12 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedThe headline says Iran claimed it targeted a US radar site in Bahrain and warned against further provocations.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) says it has targeted a US early-warning radar in Bahrain in retaliation for what it described as an air attack on a telecommunications tower in southern Iran.”
- SupportedThe IRGC said the attack was retaliation for what it described as an aerial strike on a telecommunications tower in southern Iran.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) says it has targeted a US early-warning radar in Bahrain in retaliation for what it described as an air attack on a telecommunications tower in southern Iran.”
- SupportedThe IRGC said its Aerospace Force stood ready to “engage without limits” if violations and acts of aggression recurred.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: ““Should these violations and acts of aggression recur, the IRGC Aerospace Force stands in full readiness to engage without limits,” the statement said.”
- SupportedThe IRGC described a series of aerial provocations and oil smuggling in the Strait of Hormuz.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “the IRGC called the strike a “serious warning” to the “aggressor enemy” to stop what it said was a series of aerial provocations and oil smuggling in the Strait of Hormuz.”
- SupportedThe IRGC called the strike a “serious warning” to the “aggressor enemy”.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “the IRGC called the strike a “serious warning” to the “aggressor enemy” to stop what it said was a series of aerial provocations and oil smuggling in the Strait of Hormuz.”
- SupportedIRNA, citing official sources, reported earlier Thursday that Sirik had been hit by “enemy fire”.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “The claim came hours after Iran’s state news agency IRNA, citing official sources, reported that the port city of Sirik in Hormozgan province was hit by “enemy fire” on Thursday.”
- SupportedFars said the radar installation had been “targeted and destroyed”.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “The IRGC-affiliated Fars news agency said the IRGC’s Aerospace Force had “targeted and destroyed” the radar installation.”
- SupportedThere was no immediate comment from Washington or Manama.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “There was no immediate comment from Washington or Manama.”
- SupportedThe Fifth Fleet headquarters was hit in the opening hours of the war on February 28.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “It was hit in the opening hours of the war on February 28”
- SupportedAl Jazeera’s analysis of satellite images showed direct hits on several radar domes and damage across the base.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “satellite images analysed by Al Jazeera showed direct hits on several radar domes and damage to buildings across the base.”
- SupportedIsrael’s security cabinet ordered the military to step up preparations for a possible attack on Iran, according to Israeli media including KAN.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “Israel’s security cabinet has ordered the military to step up preparations for a possible attack on Iran , according to Israeli media, including the public broadcaster KAN.”
- SupportedReuters said this was the first time since early September that Iran had claimed an attack on US military assets in a Gulf country.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “According to the Reuters news agency, it is the first time since early September that Iran has claimed an attack on US military assets in a Gulf country.”