Manama: Bahrain's military announced that its air defense systems successfully intercepted and destroyed multiple Iranian aerial attacks targeting the kingdom. The Bahrain Defense Force confirmed that the incidents occurred early Thursday, describing the attacks as "treacherous."

According to Anadolu Agency, Bahrain's Interior Ministry had earlier sounded warning sirens throughout the country, advising citizens to seek shelter in safe locations due to the potential threat of an attack. In a related move, Kuwait also activated its warning sirens, as reported by the official KUNA news agency.

The escalation follows reports from Iranian media about a new wave of US strikes late Wednesday targeting several locations in southern and southeastern Iran. In response, Iran's army claimed it had targeted infrastructure at US military bases in Kuwait, Qatar, and Bahrain, citing recent US attacks on Iranian territory as the reason.

The US Central Command has confirmed that American forces launched additional strikes against Iran. The objective was to further degrade Tehran's capability to threaten freedom of navigation in the strategically significant Strait of Hormuz.

Bahrain, which has hosted the headquarters of the US Navy's Fifth Fleet since 1995, is home to thousands of US military personnel, making it a pivotal location amid the ongoing regional tensions.