Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said Friday that it destroyed a U.S. early-warning radar in Bahrain, describing the strike as retaliation for an attack on a telecommunications tower in Sirik County the previous day. The reported target and destruction were not independently confirmed. The Associated Press also reported the IRGC’s claim.
The Guard attributed Thursday’s attack on the tower in southern Iran to the United States. Its statement called the strike on the radar a “serious warning” to Washington and threatened a response “without geographical limits” if what it called further violations occurred.
Bahrain hosts the headquarters of the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet, which oversees American naval operations in the Persian Gulf and nearby waters. The IRGC’s announcement did not provide independently verifiable details about damage to the radar.
Strait of Hormuz tensions and diplomacy
On Wednesday, U.S. Central Command said American forces were working to keep the Strait of Hormuz open to commercial shipping while enforcing a naval blockade against Iran. CENTCOM said about 1.7 billion barrels of crude oil had passed through the strait under U.S. protection since the summer, according to Euronews.
The latest claims came as President Donald Trump said Thursday that Washington no longer needed an agreement with Tehran. He also asked Vice President JD Vance, who had been involved in diplomatic efforts, to focus on domestic issues. Trump said Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain had asked him to postpone broader attacks on Iran.
Diplomatic efforts mediated by Qatar and Pakistan were continuing. Tehran has made a return to formal negotiations conditional on demands that include sanctions relief, an end to the naval blockade of Iranian ports, the release of frozen assets and a halt to fighting on all fronts.
Clayton Ward