In a unified stance against Tehran’s aggression, several Gulf nations have vocally condemned Iran’s drone strikes on Bahrain, which took place on Saturday. These countries have pledged to stand together against any future threats posed by Iran.
Such developments have cast a shadow over the recent diplomatic advancements marked by the memorandum of understanding signed last week by U.S. President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. This escalation represents the most profound challenge yet to the nascent agreement.
This tense atmosphere was further fueled by events leading up to the weekend. Following Iran’s attack on a cargo ship navigating the Strait of Hormuz on Friday, the United States retaliated with overnight airstrikes targeting Iranian missile, drone, and radar sites. Iran’s swift response came in the form of drone strikes on Bahrain, a strategic area that hosts the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet.
Images from Manama, Bahrain, on February 28, 2026, show smoke billowing following reports of Iranian missile attacks. These strikes come on the heels of military actions by both the United States and Israel against Iran. (Reuters)
The Gulf Cooperation Council’s Secretary-General, Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, has labeled the Iranian strikes on Bahrain as “treacherous.” He warned that these actions could significantly undermine ongoing efforts to foster peace across the Middle East.
The GCC represents the interests of Bahrain, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates, several of which released their own statements condemning Iran.
Bahrain itself issued a response, confirming that Iran flew a number of drones into its territory and calling the strikes a “flagrant threat” to the nation’s security. It remains unclear exactly which areas Iran targeted.
President Donald Trump leaves the stage after speaking at the Faith & Freedom Coalition’s policy conference on Friday, June 26, 2026. Iran’s latest strike is the latest threat to the MOU he signed that enacted a ceasefire. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
“While the Ministry condemns this heinous aggression, it affirms that the Iranian regime’s continued attacks, at a time when regional and international efforts are moving towards de-escalation, place the sole responsibility on Tehran for undermining peace efforts, and reveals an approach based on destabilizing security, exporting chaos, and undermining regional stability,” Bahrain’s Foreign Ministry also said Saturday.
Officials in Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) also came out with statements on Saturday condemning Iran.
Kuwait’s Foreign Ministry said the Iranian strikes represent “a dangerous undermining of endeavors for peace and stability, and a threat to the security and stability of the region.”
Both Kuwait and the UAE said they remain committed to supporting Bahrain’s safety and stability.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, center, attends a meeting with foreign ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council member states in Manama, Bahrain, on Thursday, June 25, 2026. (Eric Lee/Pool Photo via AP)
Also joining in the public denouncements of Iran were Saudi Arabia and Qatar, with both countries saying the latest strikes violate Bahrain’s sovereignty and international law.
Notably, Oman’s foreign ministry has not addressed the attack. Oman has maintained a neutral stance throughout the war and has frequently acted as a mediator between Washington and Tehran.
Oman and Iran are also still in the midst of negotiating a joint framework for the future administration of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
A container ship, right, and a cargo vessel are seen in the Strait of Hormuz off Bandar Abbas, Iran, Wednesday, June 17, 2026. (Amirhosein Khorgooi/ISNA via AP)
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard took responsibility for the strikes on Bahrain, saying on state-run TV that it had targeted several locations “of the U.S. terrorist army in the region” without specifying which areas were hit, according to The Associated Press.
So far, no casualties or significant damage has been reported from the drone attack, which occurred days after Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Gulf allies in Bahrain.