The Persian Gulf is not having a quiet year. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has claimed a sustained campaign of drone and missile strikes against Sheikh Isa Air Base in Bahrain, one of the most strategically significant American military installations in the Middle East and the home of the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet.
The IRGC’s claims describe a multi-phase operation spanning from late February through at least July 13, 2026, targeting facilities that include a P-8 maritime patrol aircraft hangar and a drone command center. The P-8 Poseidon is the Navy’s primary anti-submarine and surveillance aircraft.
What happened, and what Iran says it hit
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard described a March 2026 operation involving 20 drones and 3 missiles aimed at Sheikh Isa Air Base. Subsequent claimed strikes followed in June and again on July 13, each time framing the attacks as retaliation for US and Israeli military operations targeting Iranian interests.
Bahrain’s government confirmed that missile strikes occurred near US facilities, but characterized the damage as limited. No fatalities were reported in several of the incidents, though debris from intercepted or misfired projectiles caused damage to residential areas near the base.
