IRGC claims drone strike on US Fifth Fleet in Bahrain

IRGC Launches Drone Strike on US Fifth Fleet in Bahrain as US-Iran Conflict Escalates

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said Wednesday it struck a US military base in Bahrain with drones, hours after the United States completed a round of strikes against Iranian military sites in retaliation for the downing of a US Army Apache helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz.

The IRGC said its naval forces launched a drone strike on the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain at approximately 2:30 AM local time Wednesday, according to the IRGC statement carried by Iranian media. The attack also included claims of downing a US MQ-9 surveillance drone, according to Anadolu Agency. Iran described the operation as a direct response to what it called American aggression following Tuesday’s US strikes.aa

Cycle of Retaliation

The exchange began Monday when an Iranian Shahed attack drone struck a US Army Apache helicopter conducting a patrol near the coast of Oman, causing it to crash into the sea. US Central Command said both pilots were rescued by a drone-operated vessel about two hours after the crash. President Donald Trump blamed Iran for the incident and vowed retaliation.apnews

On Tuesday at 5 PM ET, US Central Command announced it had begun “self-defense strikes” against Iran, calling them “a proportional response to unjustified Iranian aggression”. The strikes targeted Iranian military sites around the Strait of Hormuz, including what earlier reporting identified as air defense systems, ground control stations, and surveillance radar sites.thehill

The IRGC warned of “heavier responses” if American military operations against Iranian territory continue.etvbharat

A Pattern Repeating Across the Gulf

Wednesday’s IRGC strike on the Fifth Fleet is at least the second time Iran has claimed to target the naval headquarters in Bahrain’s capital, Manama. On June 3, the IRGC launched missiles and drones at the same facility, as well as a US air base in Kuwait, in retaliation for American strikes on a communications tower on Qeshm Island. US Central Command dismissed those earlier claims, saying all Iranian attacks either failed or were intercepted.firstpost

The broader conflict, which began with joint US-Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities in June 2025, entered a fragile ceasefire mediated by Pakistan in April 2026. That ceasefire has since frayed amid repeated exchanges of fire, with negotiations toward a memorandum of understanding to reopen the Strait of Hormuz stalling in recent weeks.aljazeera

Regional Impact

Bahrain’s Interior Ministry has repeatedly urged residents to seek shelter as sirens sounded across the country during Iranian attacks. The Gulf nation, home to the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet at Naval Support Activity Bahrain in the Juffair district of Manama, has sustained two fatalities and more than 50 injuries since the war began in late February. Kuwait International Airport was also struck by Iranian drones on June 3, killing one person and injuring dozens.wikipedia

The latest escalation comes as diplomatic efforts between Washington and Tehran remain at a standstill, with Iran’s Foreign Ministry stating that no progress has been made in negotiations.aljazeera