Image: from Kurdistan 24 English X @K24English
By Open Chronicle Staff | Monday, March 9, 2026
MANAMA, Bahrain — The Bahraini Ministry of Health reported early Monday that 32 civilians were wounded in an Iranian drone attack targeting the Sitra area, southeast of the capital. The strike marks one of the most significant casualty events in the kingdom since hostilities between Iran and the U.S.–Israeli coalition escalated last month.
According to medical officials, the victims are all Bahraini citizens, including several children. Four individuals are reported to be in critical condition, including a two-month-old infant and two children aged seven and eight. A 17-year-old girl also sustained severe facial injuries in the blast.
Iranian drone attack on Bahrain’s island of Sitra has wounded 32 civilians, according to the Health Ministry. All victims are Bahraini citizens, with four reported in serious condition, including children. pic.twitter.com/PGiz9559ur
— Mossad Commentary (@MOSSADil) March 9, 2026
Escalation Across the Gulf
The attack on Sitra follows a series of aerial strikes that have increasingly targeted civilian infrastructure and states hosting U.S. military assets. On Sunday, debris from intercepted missiles damaged a university in Muharraq and a water desalination plant.
The Bahraini Interior Ministry characterized the Sitra strike as a deliberate act of “Iranian aggression” against civilian populations. King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa condemned the attacks as “unjustified and unprecedented,” while praising the readiness of the kingdom’s defense forces.
A Region in the Crosshairs
Bahrain is not alone in facing the spillover of the “True Promise 4” operation, as Tehran labels its current military campaign.
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United Arab Emirates: Authorities in Abu Dhabi confirmed that air defense systems were activated early Monday to neutralize an incoming missile threat.
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Saudi Arabia: The Ministry of Defense announced the interception of four drones targeting the Shaybah oil field near the UAE border.
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Qatar: Residents in Doha reported multiple explosions near the Al Udeid Air Base, the largest U.S. military hub in the region.
Tehran’s Defiance
The surge in drone and missile activity coincides with the official inauguration of Mojtaba Khamenei as Iran’s new Supreme Leader. State media broadcast images of the weapons used in Monday’s strikes, many of which bore slogans of loyalty to the new leader.
As the war enters its second week, the U.S. Secretary of Defense warned that the coalition campaign against Iran is “only just the beginning.” Meanwhile, global markets are reeling as oil prices surged above $100 per barrel following the latest threats to Gulf energy infrastructure.