Counterstrikes continue at US Navy base in Bahrain; residential buildings off base attacked

Damage to The Breaker residential tower in Bahrain is seen Sunday morning following an Iranian attack that took place on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026. (Stars and Stripes)

MANAMA, Bahrain — Iranian missiles and drones struck the headquarters of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command and residential buildings elsewhere in the island nation, as retaliatory attacks that began midday Saturday continued into early Sunday.

Shortly after the U.S. announced major combat operations in Iran on Saturday morning, military personnel and residents were warned about an incoming missile attack. Within minutes, explosions could be heard across the city and plumes of smoke were seen rising from the U.S. base.

Multiple explosions rocked the capital of Manama, as air raid warning sirens blared and armored vehicles convoyed along roads.

The General Command of Bahrain Defense Force said Sunday that its air defense systems successfully intercepted hostile Iranian attacks, shooting down 45 missiles and nine drones, including Shahed-136 type drones.

Military personnel were directed in alerts Saturday night to evacuate sections of the capital city of Manama and to leave any high-rise apartments for safer ground below.

Flights out of Bahrain International Airport continued to be suspended Sunday due to the closure of Bahrain airspace. The airport was hit by an Iranian drone Sunday morning, causing minor damage.

No U.S. casualties have been reported, a U.S. official said at about 1:45 p.m. Bahrain time on Saturday, roughly two hours after the strikes began.

Flames climb the exterior of The Breaker residential tower in Bahrain late Saturday following an Iranian attack, with authorities investigating whether the blaze was caused by a drone strike or falling debris from a missile intercept. Abdullah Alameeri of Bahrain Police said the incident remains under investigation. The building is one of three apartment complexes reported to be damaged; in Hoora, the Era View residential tower sustained heavy damage from what officials described as a direct drone strike. (Stars and Stripes)

Casualties are possible elsewhere in Bahrain. A drone slammed into the top floors of a residential tower in the Hoora neighborhood, which is about a 15-minute drive from the U.S. naval installation. The Bahraini government acknowledged that several residential buildings had been hit and said firefighting and rescue operations are ongoing. The Crowne Plaza Hotel in Manama was hit in a Sunday morning attack.

Flames climb the exterior of The Breaker residential tower in Bahrain late Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026, following an Iranian attack, with authorities investigating whether the blaze was caused by a drone strike or falling debris from a missile intercept. Abdullah Alameeri of Bahrain Police said the incident remains under investigation. The building is one of three apartment complexes reported to be damaged; in Hoora, the Era View residential tower sustained heavy damage from what officials described as a direct drone strike. (Stars and Stripes)

A fire starts at The Breaker residential tower in Bahrain late Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026, following an Iranian attack, with authorities investigating whether the blaze was caused by a drone strike or falling debris from a missile intercept. (Stars and Stripes)

Damage to The Breaker residential tower in Bahrain before fires spread through the building late Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026, following an Iranian attack. Authorities are investigating whether the blaze was caused by a drone strike or falling debris from a missile intercept. (Stars and Stripes)

Earlier Saturday, nearby observers reported thick black smoke and fire at a large building on base. Other structures have also sustained damage, observers said. The full extent of the damage was not immediately clear.

All questions about the attack were referred by Navy officials to U.S. Central Command, which did not immediately offer a response Saturday.

The missile attack was confirmed by Tasnim News Agency, a semiofficial Iranian outlet associated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

In-person classes at the Defense Department school on base in Bahrain also have been canceled for the rest of the week. Preparations are being made for remote learning, school officials said.

Air raid sirens and missile warnings went out across the region Saturday after the U.S. and Israel launched joint strikes against Iran. U.S. embassies in Qatar, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Israel advised Americans to shelter in place.

Qatar intercepted a number of attacks aimed at the country, the Defense Ministry said. Jordan also intercepted two ballistic missiles, Reuters reported.

President Donald Trump said in a video posted to social media shortly after strikes began that the mission, dubbed Operation Epic Fury, would raze Iran’s missile industry to the ground and annihilate its navy.

He also acknowledged that the U.S. may experience casualties.

“I do not make this statement lightly: the Iranian regime seeks to kill,” Trump said. “The lives of courageous American heroes may be lost and we may have casualties. That often happens in war. But we’re doing this, not for now, we’re doing this for the future, and it is a noble mission.”

The U.S. has numerous installations across the Middle East that could be targets for Iranian strikes. In addition to Bahrain and Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, home to thousands of American troops and their family members, there also are large bases in Kuwait and other locations where U.S. forces operate in Iraq.

Bahrain hosts U.S. Naval Forces Central Command headquarters and the Navy’s 5th Fleet, with about 8,300 sailors stationed there. It is also one of the few accompanied postings in the region, with hundreds of spouses and family members living on the island. During the 12-day conflict with Iran last summer, many families temporarily left under an authorized departure.

The base also hosts the Combined Maritime Forces, a multinational coalition of 47 countries tasked with countering illegal drug and weapons smuggling activities in the Persian Gulf and Red Sea.

The Pentagon has also surged military assets into Jordan and Saudi Arabia in recent weeks.

The buildup for the attack on Iran has also involved European locations such as Greece, where the Navy’s installation at Souda Bay has seen increased U.S. military activity.

Smoke rises over Manama, Bahrain, on Feb. 28, 2026. The headquarters of the US Navy’s 5th Fleet in Bahrain was targeted in a missile attack. (Shannon Renfroe/Stars and Stripes)