Missile strike hits US bases across Middle East as Iran confirms Gulf base targets
Bahrain has confirmed that the headquarters of the United States Navy Fifth Fleet was targeted in a missile attack, as Iran formally acknowledged striking multiple American military installations across the Gulf in a dramatic escalation of regional tensions.
Smoke was seen rising from the Juffair district, home to the key US naval command centre, according to witnesses.
Several Gulf nations, including Qatar, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates, closed their airspace as a precaution amid fears of further missile strikes, severely disrupting regional air travel.
Iran’s elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it had launched missile strikes on US military sites in response to recent American and Israeli attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities.
Iranian state media, including Fars News Agency, confirmed that Iranian forces specifically targeted four major US military installations in the Gulf: Al Udeid Air Base; Al Salem Air Base; Al Dhafra Air Base; and the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain.
Iran described the operation, named “Basharat al-Fath” or “Glad Tidings of Victory”, as a direct and deliberate retaliation.
Qatar’s Defence Ministry said its Patriot air defence system intercepted at least one incoming missile and urged residents to remain indoors and avoid military sites.
Explosions were reported in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, while additional blasts were reported in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, signalling a widening geographical spread of the conflict.
Airlines began suspending operations across the region. Turkish Airlines cancelled flights to Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Iran and Jordan until March 2, citing safety concerns.
No casualties or extent of damage have been officially confirmed so far. The United States has yet to issue a formal response.
Iran warned that the strikes sent a “clear message” to Washington and its allies, signalling its readiness for further confrontation. Iranian officials said all US and Israeli interests in the region could now be considered potential targets.
Meanwhile, Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council and a close ally of President Vladimir Putin, accused the United States of using diplomatic talks as a cover for military action, saying Washington had shown its “true colours”.
Iran also confirmed launching missiles and drones toward Israel in retaliation for Israeli strikes on Iranian territory, as explosions were reported in Tehran and other areas. Israel said its strikes were aimed at removing what it called existential threats.
US President Donald Trump said American forces had begun “major combat operations” in Iran alongside Israeli military action, further escalating the confrontation.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian reiterated that Tehran does not seek nuclear weapons, amid rising international alarm over the rapidly deteriorating security situation.
Strategic analysts warn that confirmed Iranian strikes on major US military hubs, including the Fifth Fleet headquarters and Al Udeid Air Base, mark a critical turning point, raising the risk of a wider regional war with global consequences.
Source: Al Jazeera, BBC, AP/UNB