Manama — The Israel–Iran war has slammed into Bahrain with unprecedented force after new waves of missile and drone attacks devastated a key US base near Manama, sending shockwaves through the tiny kingdom that hosts the US Fifth Fleet.

Residents along the capital’s waterfront reported multiple thunderous blasts just before dawn, as the sky lit up with interceptor fire and incoming projectiles streaking toward the sprawling American installation. Seconds later, a series of explosions ripped through the base’s fuel farms, maintenance hangars and housing blocks, triggering towering fireballs visible across the city and shattering windows in nearby high‑rises.

US Central Command has confirmed “significant damage” and “a substantial number of casualties” after at least one ballistic missile and several armed drones penetrated layered air defences during a concentrated saturation attack. Emergency radio traffic captured frantic calls for mass medevac support as helicopters ferried wounded troops to Bahraini hospitals already on emergency footing.

Tehran’s Revolutionary Guard is hailing the strike as part of a broader campaign to “cripple the American war machine supporting Zionist aggression,” claiming the base served as a nerve centre for recent operations over Iran and Lebanon. Bahraini authorities have condemned the assault as “a direct attack on our sovereignty and stability,” tightening security around diplomatic compounds, oil infrastructure and the Fifth Fleet’s harbour.

Analysts warn that the devastation at one of Washington’s most important Gulf hubs marks a turning point: Iran is no longer just harassing outposts, but proving it can hit the very platforms that make US power projection in the region possible.