Iran launched explosive drone strikes against the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain early on June 10, 2026, in what Tehran described as retaliation for American airstrikes on Iranian soil. The attack, carried out jointly by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Iran’s regular army, the Artesh, represents the most direct Iranian military assault on a major US installation in the Gulf region in decades.
The strikes reportedly commenced around 2:30 a.m. local time using Shahed-136 one-way attack drones.
What Iran targeted and why
The drone operation did not limit itself to a single location. Iranian forces reportedly struck at three distinct targets in Bahrain: the Fifth Fleet headquarters, Sheikh Isa Airbase, and a strategic radar site.
The Fifth Fleet oversees US naval operations across the Persian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz, the Red Sea, and parts of the Indian Ocean.
