Bahrain says Iranian missile, drone attacks target civilians

Bahrain on Wednesday accused Iran of continuing what it called a "systematic hostile approach" through missile and drone attacks targeting civilians in the kingdom.

The Bahrain Defence Force General Command said in a statement that its air defense systems "confronted, intercepted and destroyed a number of hostile Iranian aerial attacks" on Wednesday.

It said all weapons and military units remain at the highest levels of readiness and defensive preparedness to protect the kingdom.

The command urged the public to exercise caution and avoid approaching any strange or suspicious objects resulting from debris from the Iranian attacks, asking residents to immediately report them to authorities.

It said personnel from the Royal Engineering Unit were fully prepared to safely and professionally deal with such objects to ensure the safety of citizens and residents.

The command said the "deliberate use of missiles and drones to target civilians" constitutes a "blatant violation of international humanitarian law."

It also praised Bahrain Defence Force personnel for what it described as their advanced combat readiness and performance in defending the country.

Earlier, Bahrain said its air defenses had intercepted and destroyed drones launched from Iran and issued safety alerts urging residents to move to safe locations.

The attacks came after the US Central Command announced strikes on Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) targets, prompting Iran to launch retaliatory missile and drone attacks against US targets in the region.

The Iranian military said US-operated radar facilities at Sheikh Isa Air Base in Bahrain, as well as locations where US troops were gathered, were targeted with explosive drones.