ISTANBUL
Bahrain and Qatar said Tuesday their air defense systems intercepted and destroyed a total of more than 170 missiles and dozens of drones launched from Iran over the past three days, as Tehran continues attacks on US-linked sites in the region in response to the ongoing Israeli-US military campaign.
The General Command of the Bahrain Defense Force said its air defense systems destroyed and shot down 70 missiles and 76 drones launched from Iran since the attacks began on Saturday.
The command said in a statement that it remains “determined to confront all Iranian terrorist attacks that continue to randomly target various areas of the kingdom with missiles and drones,” adding that the “ongoing terrorist aggression” caused material damage to civilian property and infrastructure.
It described the “random and excessive” targeting of civilians and civilian objects as a “flagrant violation of the principles of international humanitarian law and the United Nations Charter,” and reaffirmed the kingdom’s right to take all necessary measures to defend its sovereignty and security.
Bahrain’s Interior Ministry urged citizens early Tuesday to head to the nearest safe location after air raid sirens sounded. Arab media outlets, including Al Arabiya, reported that Bahrain intercepted Iranian aerial targets over the capital Manama, where explosions were heard in the area.
Separately, Qatar’s Defense Ministry said it detected the launch of three cruise missiles, 101 ballistic missiles, and 39 suicide drones toward its airspace since the attacks began.
It said all missiles and 24 drones were intercepted but did not disclose whether the remaining drones caused damage or casualties.
The Qatari ministry also said forces dealt with the threat immediately on detection in accordance with a previously approved operational plan, and affirmed that the armed forces have the full capability to protect the country’s sovereignty and territory.
It called on citizens, residents, and visitors to remain calm, follow instructions issued by security authorities, and avoid rumors, relying instead on official statements and information.
Nine Arab countries, including Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Jordan, Syria, and Iraq, have reported damage over the past three days, as Iran responds to the Israeli and American aggression.
Israel and the US have carried out military strikes on Iran since Saturday, killing senior security officials, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, as well as resulting in hundreds of other fatalities and injuries.
Tehran has responded by launching missile barrages and drones toward Israel and the US-linked sites in countries across the region. Some of the attacks caused damage to civilian sites, which the Gulf Cooperation Council countries have condemned.
*Writing by Lina Altawell