Bahrain announces joint Gulf military exercise amid regional tensions

Bahrain on Monday announced a joint military exercise with other Gulf countries amid heightened regional tensions following an exchange of attacks between Iran and the US.

The Bahrain Defense Force said in a statement that the "Bahrain Shield" exercise will run from Tuesday through Thursday, with the participation of armed forces from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states.

The exercise aims to strengthen joint Gulf military cooperation, facilitate the exchange of expertise and assess shared military systems, the statement said.

The GCC comprises Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Oman, and Qatar.

The drill comes amid a cautious calm in the region since Friday, as the US and Iran halted attacks following a 13-day escalation that began on July 11.

During the escalation, the US carried out attacks inside Iran, while Tehran responded by targeting what it described as US military facilities and equipment in several Arab countries.

The hostilities erupted despite a memorandum of understanding signed by Washington and Tehran in June that called for an end to the fighting and the start of negotiations on a broader agreement to conclude the war launched by Israel and the US on Feb. 28.

US President Donald Trump declared the ceasefire over on July 8 after tankers were attacked in the Strait of Hormuz, incidents Washington blamed on Tehran.

Washington has demanded that Iran halt attacks on vessels and guarantee freedom of navigation through the strait. Tehran, however, insists that ship passage through waters adjacent to its coastline be governed by a mechanism under its supervision, fueling concerns over potential disruptions to regional oil and gas exports.