The Breaker residential tower in Manama’s Seef district stands blackened and gutted after an apparent aerial strike Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026, as Iranian retaliatory attacks on U.S. targets in Bahrain extended into civilian neighborhoods. (Shannon Renfroe/Stars and Stripes)
MANAMA, Bahrain — Iranian drones and missiles struck high-rise apartments and hotels in Bahrain this weekend as attacks on the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet headquarters spread into civilian districts, amid Iran’s unprecedented attacks on American bases across the Middle East.
Sirens continued into Sunday afternoon in Manama, the capital, with alerts instructing U.S. military personnel to shelter in place in a bunker until further notice.
On Saturday, the Navy base sustained damage to a large building and at least one other structure. The extent of the damage remains unclear, and U.S. Central Command has so far declined to provide details.
The Iranian counterstrikes came as the United States and Israel launched attacks throughout Iran that resulted in the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and many senior military leaders.
For U.S. service members and residents of the Bahraini capital, the geopolitical stakes coexist with more immediate concerns: blocked roads, suspended flights, limited base access and preparations for another night of potential attacks.
The island nation’s airspace is restricted and commercial flights are suspended, meaning family members authorized by the Defense Department on Saturday to depart the country must take shelter for now.
The Crowne Plaza Hotel, a five-star property in central Manama, was struck Sunday morning, resulting in injuries. In its fifth security update of the day, the U.S. Embassy advised all U.S. citizens to avoid hotels in the capital, warning they could be targets. The nearby Juffair district, home to the U.S. Navy base and many businesses, fell noticeably quiet Sunday, which is a workday in Bahrain.
The grocery delivery service Talabat was unavailable early Sunday, limiting access to essentials for residents unable to leave their buildings. By afternoon, the service had partially returned, though many outlets remained marked “busy.”
Base access remained restricted following damage from the attacks, according to official messages distributed to personnel. Overnight, area residents described hearing a low buzz they believe was a drone.
“Last night when that drone flew over my head, it did something to me,” said Philippe Jean-Jacques, a defense contractor. “To the point that this morning I saw from the corner of my eye a black bird, and I thought it was a drone. My stomach is still in knots.”
In the Seef neighborhood of Manama, about 20 minutes from Naval Support Activity Bahrain, the skyline told the story. The ivory-colored Breaker residential tower now bears vertical scars of blackened glass running along nearly the height of the building following an aerial attack Saturday.
A section of the building’s exterior collapsed inward across two to three floors, while fire burned from within the breach.
Flames spread down the facade while sparks fell toward the street. The smell of burning metal and glass lingered between neighboring towers as black smoke drifted toward other buildings.
Displaced tenants gathered in a nearby dirt lot as the tower burned and police cordoned sections of the street overnight.
“I came outside to save my own life,” said Justin Uzo, 44, a housekeeper at an apartment building roughly a third of a mile from the Breaker. “I don’t know what is going to happen next.” His mother does not know his building was hit.
“If I inform my mom, she will be heartbroken,” he said. “I just pray everything will calm down.”
In the Hoora neighborhood, about four miles from the Navy base, the Era View residential tower sustained heavy damage from what authorities described as a direct drone strike. A third apartment complex was also reported to be damaged.
The incidents remain under investigation, said Abdullah Alameeri with the Bahrain police.
The Bahrain Defense Force said Sunday that its air defense systems have successfully intercepted 45 missiles and nine drones, including Shahed-136 type drones.
Bahrain hosts U.S. Naval Forces Central Command headquarters and 5th Fleet, with about 8,300 sailors stationed there.
