Tehran, Iran – The public relations department of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced that its forces launched a series of large-scale attacks on Wednesday morning targeting several US military bases in the region. The attacks were spread across Jordanian territory, the Kingdom of Bahrain, and the city of Erbil in Iraqi Kurdistan. Additionally, the attacks included Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait. According to Iranian state media, the IRGC explained that the attack on Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait was carried out in a coordinated and intensive manner. During the attack, a diverse arsenal of ballistic missiles and attack drones was used to achieve the intended targets. As of yet, there has been no official confirmation or comment from the US Central Command regarding these attacks or the extent of any potential damage to its facilities.
Official reactions and military readiness in Bahrain
On the ground in the Kingdom of Bahrain, the General Command of the Bahrain Defense Force announced that Iran continues its attacks and ongoing airstrikes on the Kingdom’s territory. It described these attacks as “treacherous and systematic” acts aimed at undermining regional stability. The official body also confirmed that these attacks targeted civilian areas. It asserted that the deliberate use of missiles and drones to target civilians and civilian infrastructure constitutes a blatant and clear violation of the principles and rules of international humanitarian law.
The Bahrain Defence Force explained that the country’s air defense systems were professionally and efficiently neutralized, successfully intercepting and destroying several Iranian airstrikes launched on Wednesday morning. It also emphasized that all units and formations of the armed forces are at the highest levels of readiness and vigilance. This is to protect the country’s security and territorial integrity.
In the same context, the Bahraini Ministry of Interior issued an urgent statement warning of a potential threat.
The Ministry called on all citizens and residents of the Kingdom to remain calm and immediately seek shelter or safe locations. It also urged the public to follow updates exclusively through official news channels to ensure their safety. Furthermore, the Bahrain Defence Force advised citizens to avoid approaching any unidentified objects or suspicious debris that may have fallen as a result of the interception operations. It stressed the importance of promptly reporting such objects to the relevant authorities.
Strategic development: America targets Iranian tankers
On a parallel military front, the American news website Axios, citing a high-ranking US government official, reported that the US military carried out airstrikes on Tuesday evening, September 1. The strikes targeted two Iranian government-owned oil tankers. This marks the first time Washington has targeted Iranian tankers. It comes as part of a new deterrence policy dubbed “tanker for tanker.”
The US official explained that this new strategy was personally approved by US President Donald Trump. It was adopted with the aim of creating a stronger deterrent to restrain the Islamic Republic and prevent it from continuing its attacks on oil and commercial tankers passing through the vital Strait of Hormuz. The report emphasized that the US strikes were not only intended to prevent breaches of the naval blockade, but also a direct response to repeated Iranian provocations against commercial vessels.
The targeted Iranian government oil tankers were anchored off the Iranian coast, specifically north of the area under the US naval blockade. According to Axios, US drones carried out precision strikes, firing missiles at the tankers’ engine rooms. This development signals a new phase of direct and open confrontation in the waters of the Arabian Gulf and the Middle East.
