Bahrain accuses Iran of attacking its territory to ‘settle’ score with US
Bahrain has denounced Iran's latest air attacks on its Riffa Air Base as a resumption of aggression, with Tehran claiming the strikes are justified under international law.
Bahrain's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has denounced what it describes as "a resumption of Iran's aggression" after the latest air attacks on its Riffa Air Base by Tehran. In a statement, the ministry said the attacks launched by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) violated international law and "no pretext can legitimise violations of state sovereignty".
"Bahrain also rejects the use of its territory to settle accounts and holds Iran fully responsible for the attacks and their consequences," the statement added. Bahrain's military confirmed its defense systems intercepted several Iranian "aerial attacks" targeting the kingdom.
Iran's justification
Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei defended Tehran's attacks and accused Gulf countries of aiding US strikes against Iran. "All the cases that indicate the role of the countries of the region in helping the US to attack Iran have been documented," Baghaei said at a news conference on Sunday.
Baghaei argued that Iran's attacks are justified under Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, which establishes the rights of states to defend themselves from attacks. He claimed Tehran's actions are "purely defensive in nature" and have targeted only US military bases and assets used to attack Iran.
Regional reactions
Jordan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned Iran's attacks on Bahrain as "a flagrant violation of its sovereignty, a threat to its security, stability and territorial integrity." Egypt also rejected attacks threatening the region's stability, stating that "the security of Bahrain and the Gulf states is closely linked to Egyptian national security."
Al Jazeera's Resul Serdar, reporting from Tehran, noted that Iran had held back amid intermittent US attacks in recent weeks but has now fired twice at Bahrain in three days. "It seems this is now the new rule of engagement," Serdar added, referring to the changing dynamics in the region's conflict.
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