Manama/Washington, Feb 28: The US Embassy in Bahrain on Saturday issued a stark security alert warning of a potential “imminent drone/missile attack in Bahrain,” urging American citizens to immediately shelter in place amid escalating tensions in the Gulf following US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.
The embassy in Manama advised US nationals to review their security plans and remain alert for further attacks, citing media reports of Iranian missile and drone activity over Bahrain. Officials indicated that the threat was being treated as credible and likely.
In unusually blunt language, the embassy cautioned that interception systems may not eliminate danger to civilians. “Be aware that even if the incoming missile or drone is intercepted, falling debris represents a significant risk,” the advisory said, noting that past interceptions in the region have resulted in damage and injuries from falling fragments.
Bahrain, a key US ally, hosts the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet, underscoring its strategic importance in regional security dynamics.
The warning came after the United States carried out strikes on three major Iranian nuclear facilities, triggering retaliation from Tehran. Iran fired 14 ballistic missiles at the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, one of the largest US military installations in the region. Qatari defence systems intercepted the missiles and no casualties were reported.
US President Donald Trump described Iran’s retaliation as a “very weak response,” claiming Tehran had warned Washington in advance. “Most importantly, they’ve gotten it all out of their ‘system,’ and there will, hopefully, be no further HATE,” he said, while adding in a separate message: “EVERYONE, KEEP OIL PRICES DOWN. I’M WATCHING! YOU’RE PLAYING RIGHT INTO THE HANDS OF THE ENEMY. DON’T DO IT!”
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said, “Iran reserves all options to defend its sovereignty, interest, and people,” while President Masoud Pezeshkian stated, “We neither initiated the war nor wanted it. But we will not leave the aggression against the great Iran unanswered.”
Analysts warn that further retaliation could include attacks on US military bases in Kuwait, Bahrain, Iraq and the UAE, disruptions to oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz — which handles nearly 20 per cent of global oil trade — strikes on Gulf oil infrastructure, cyberattacks, or asymmetric operations via proxy groups.
The Iranian Parliament has approved a measure to close the Strait of Hormuz, a move that could severely disrupt global energy supplies. Around 20 million barrels per day transited the strait in 2024. The US Secretary of State has urged China to intervene to prevent any closure.
Meanwhile, the US Department of Homeland Security issued a bulletin warning of a “heightened threat environment,” cautioning that Iranian-backed hackers “routinely target poorly secured U.S. networks.” Authorities also flagged the potential for terrorist activity and increased extremist mobilisation.
The rapid escalation has raised fears of a wider regional conflict even as both sides signal they wish to avoid an all-out war.
