Iran Retaliates, Strikes US Navy Service Centre in Bahrain

Following a joint US-Israel attack on Iran early Saturday morning, Bahrain’s National Communication Centre of the US Navy’s 5th Fleet has been “subjected to a missile attack”.

According to a statement quoted by the State-run Bahrain News Agency (BNA), the missile strike is coming hours after Iran vowed a ‘crushing response’ to the US, Israel attack on different Iranian cities.

“Further details will be provided in due course,” it adds, without attributing the attack to any country.

“The public is urged to follow instructions issued by the relevant official authorities and to obtain information from official sources only.”

Bahrain is home to the headquarters of the 5th Fleet, whose area of responsibility includes the Gulf, Red Sea, Arabian Sea and parts of the Indian Ocean.

According to the BBC, there was no immediate comment from the US military, although the US embassy had earlier warned citizens to shelter in place amid reported threats of missiles and drones over Bahrain.

President Donald Trump has earlier announced that the United States (US) military began “major combat operations in Iran,” following blasts heard in Iran’s capital city, Tehran in the early hours of Saturday.

Trump, in a video posted on his social media platform, said the objective of the US is to eliminate imminent threats from the Iranian regime, which he described as “a vicious group of very hard, terrible people.”

Continuing, Trump, who tied the threat elimination to the defense of the American people, admitted that “the lives of courageous American heroes may be lost and we may have casualties.”

“That often happens in war. But we are doing this not for now, we are doing this for the future and it is a noble mission,” Trump continued in a video post on his Truth Social early Saturday morning.

Confirming the joint US and Israel attack on Iran, Trump said the country can never be allowed to have a nuclear weapon.

“”It has always been the policy of the United States, in particular my administration, that this terrorist regime can never have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said. “I will say it again. They can never have a nuclear weapon.”

According to ABC News, at the end of his message, Trump called on the Iranian people to seize this opportunity for regime change.

“Finally, to the great, proud people of Iran, I say tonight that the hour of your freedom is at hand,” Trump said.

“When we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take. This will be probably your only chance for generations.”

Speaking to the Iranian people, Trump said: “No president was willing to do what I am willing to do tonight. Now you have a president who is giving you what you want, so let’s see how you respond. America is backing you with overwhelming strength and devastating force. Now is the time to seize control of your destiny and to unleash the prosperous and glorious future that is close within your reach.”

Israel said it launched a pre-emptive attack against Iran on Saturday, pushing the Middle East into a renewed military confrontation.