Drone attack launched by Iran strikes US military base in Bahrain

A drone attack launched by Iran struck a US military base in Bahrain on Sunday, marking its second attempt to target the country within three days.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed responsibility for the assault, stating that six drones were used to target the US air defense radar facility at al-Riffa air base in Bahrain.

Bahrain's military asserted that its air defense systems successfully intercepted and destroyed the Iranian air attacks before they could achieve their objectives.

The attack comes on the heels of a similar incident on Friday, when Iran fired drones at Bahrain for the first time since September, sparking concerns about escalating tensions in the region.

Iran has been locked in a standoff with the US over control of the Strait of Hormuz, through which approximately one-fifth of the world's gas and oil supply normally flows.

The situation in the region continues to escalate as tensions between Iran and the US remain high. Bahrain's foreign ministry has issued a strong condemnation of the recent attacks on its territory, holding Iran fully responsible for their consequences.

Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has stated that it will not tolerate any aggression from the US, saying that the Strait of Hormuz is closed to any American enemy forces. The IRGC made this statement in response to the US military's claim that two one-way attack drones launched by Iran were shot down by US forces.

The US military denies an earlier claim by the IRGC that it struck a US early warning radar system in Bahrain, stating instead that the drones were intercepted before they could cause any harm. According to the US, there were no injuries or damage resulting from the incident.

In a separate development, the US carried out limited and defensive strikes on Iran's Qeshm Island earlier this week, officials told CBS. The strikes were said to be in response to the IRGC firing on a US aircraft, but the exact details of the incident remain unclear.

Iranian state news agency Irna reported explosions on Qeshm Island on Monday, with the IRGC stating that its forces had shot down two US drones in the area.

A preliminary agreement between the US and Iran to end the conflict and reopen the strategic waterway had been reached in June, but it quickly fell apart after Iran resumed its attacks on shipping and the US reimposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports.

The breakdown of negotiations was due in part to disagreements over several key conditions that needed to be met before the Strait of Hormuz could be reopened. These reportedly included lifting the naval blockade and releasing frozen Iranian assets, among other concessions.

In a significant shift in policy, Donald Trump announced this week that the US had lost interest in pursuing a deal with Iran to end the war, effectively putting any further negotiations on hold.