Urgent | Bahraini Interior Ministry: A number of citizens were injured and homes were damaged in the Sitra area following an attack by Iranian drones.

عاجل | الداخلية البحرينية: إصابة عدد من المواطنين وتضرر منازل بمنطقة سترة إثر هجوم بالمسيرات الإيرانية.

Bahraini Deputy Prime Minister Sheikh Khalid Al Khalifa visits the Sitra area and inspects the damage after it was targeted by an Iranian drone.

| نائب رئيس مجلس الوزراء البحريني الشيخ خالد آل خليفة يزور منطقة #سترة ويتفقد الأضرار بعد تعرضها لطائرة مسيّرة إيرانية

I'm fed up with following the news, flipping through TV channels, and listening to those described as "analysts" of the war raging around us, a war that has also affected our homeland, Bahrain. I don't see anything in their "analyses" that answers the big, perplexing questions; it's just a repetitive string of platitudes about "possibilities" that anyone with even the slightest knowledge could articulate without consulting them. I try to escape them by turning off the TV or watching an episode of a Ramadan series. But as soon as I start, a terrifying explosion from a missile or drone strike rings out. It's so powerful I feel the building almost shakes, so I rush back to the channels or my mobile phone, hoping to find out where the explosion occurred. Minutes later, the official statement arrived: an explosion on Sitra Island (not far from Manama) resulted in approximately 32 injuries, including four critical cases: a 17-year-old girl with head and eye injuries; two children, one seven and the other six, whose lower extremities were injured; and a man in his thirties who sustained the fourth serious injury. All I could do was mutter curses against war and its profiteers, both near and far. Around midnight, I laid my head on the pillow, trying to sleep. Barely an hour passed before the sound of multiple explosions—not just one—was heard, waking the sleepers in terror. In a country so small, there's no such thing as near or far. Every place in Bahrain is near. Instinctively, I reached for my phone and read: a projectile struck a residential building in the capital, killing a 29-year-old woman and injuring several others, who were being treated by medical personnel.

"ازهق" من متابعة الأخبار والتنقل بين قنواتها التلفزيونية، والاستماع إلى من يوصفون "محللين" للحرب الدائرة من حولنا، وطاولت، فيما طاولت وطننا البحرين، فلا أرى في "تحليلاتهم"ما يجيب على الأسئلة الكبرى الحائرة، مجرد "صف كلام" معاد ومكرر عن "الاحتمالات" التي بوسع كل من له أدنى معرفة أن يقولها دون الاستعانة بهم. "أهرب" منهم فأغلق التلفزيون أو أحاول مشاهدة حلقة من مسلسل رمضاني، وما أن أشرع في ذلك حتى يُدوي انفجار مروّع ناجم عن صاروخ أو استهداف مسيّرة، لقوّته شعرت أن مبنى البيت أوشك على الاهتزاز، فأهرع ثانية نحو المحطات أو "الموبايل" علني أطلع على معلومة حول مكان الانفجار. ما هي إلا دقائق ويأتي البيان الرسمي: انفجار في جزيرة سترة (غير البعيدة عن المنامة) أدى إلى نحو 32 إصابة، بينها أربع حالات خطرة: فتاةٍ في السابعة عشرة من عمرها أصيبت في رأسها وعينيها، وطفلان أحدهما في السابعة والآخر في السادسة نال الانفجار من أطراف جسديهما السفلى، رجل في الثلاثينات من عمره نالته الإصابة الرابعة البليغة . لا أملك سوى أن أتمتم شاتماً الحرب وتجّارها، البعيد منهم والقريب. حوالي الثانية عشر ليلاً أضع رأسي على الوسادة محاولاً أن أنام. لا تكاد تمضي ساعة حتى يدوي صوت انفجارات لا انفجار واحد، يصحى النائمون فزعين على صوتها، ففي بلد صغير المساحة جداً لا معنى لمكانٍ بعيد أو قريب. كلّ الأماكن في البحرين قريبة. تلقائياً أمدّ يدي نحو "الموبايل" لاٌقرأ بعد حين: مقذوف أصاب مبنى سكنيّا في العاصمة، أدى إلى مقتل امرأة في التاسعة والعشرين وإصابات عديدة أخرى،يجري التعامل معها من الطاقم الطبي.

The Bahraini government has revealed the party responsible for the attacks on Sitra Island. The National Communication Centre of the Kingdom of Bahrain announced that the injuries and damage in the Sitra area were the result of Iranian drone attacks on civilian residential areas. The Centre stated that "this attack occurred in the early morning hours, causing significant damage to a number of civilian homes in the Sitra area. The attack has so far resulted in injuries to 32 civilians, including 4 in critical condition, among them children who were transferred to operating rooms for emergency surgery."

الحكومة البحرينية تكشف الجهة المسؤولة عن الهجمات على جزيرة سترة أعلن مركز الاتصال الوطني لحكومة مملكة البحرين أن الإصابات والأضرار التي طالت منطقة سترة هي نتيجة لهجمات إيرانية بالطائرات المسيرة على مناطق سكنية مدنية. وذكر المركز أن "هذا الاعتداء وقع في ساعات الفجر الأولى، ملحقا أضرارا جسيمة بعدد من المساكن المدنية في منطقة سترة، وقد أسفر الاعتداء حتى الآن عن إصابة 32 مدنيا، بينهم 4 في حالات حرجة، منها لأطفال أحيلوا إلى غرف العمليات لإجراء جراحات طارئة"

On the instructions of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, His Excellency Shaikh Khalid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, Deputy Prime Minister, accompanied by His Excellency Lieutenant General Shaikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, Minister of Interior, and a number of ministers and senior officials, conducted an inspection visit to the Sitra area this morning to closely monitor the safety of citizens following the Iranian attacks. During the visit, he informed the families of those injured in these attacks of the Crown Prince and Prime Minister's directive that the government would undertake to address the damage inflicted on their homes and properties, provide appropriate solutions to ensure their stability, and monitor the health of the injured by providing them with the best medical services offered by government hospitals, bringing in specialist doctors to treat them, or covering their treatment abroad if necessary. During his meeting with the residents of Sitra, he added that the heinous Iranian attacks have proven beyond any doubt that the Bahraini people, united under the banner of their nation and the leadership of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, stand shoulder to shoulder like a solid structure, each part reinforcing the other in the face of challenges. He said that what pained our people in Sitra pained our people throughout the entire nation. This unique feeling reflects the national cohesion that constantly demonstrates that the Kingdom of Bahrain, from one end to the other, is one family, impervious to all desperate attempts to undermine its security, stability, and social fabric. It will always remain, through the unity and determination of its people, an impenetrable barrier against all conspiracies of division and sabotage. The Deputy Prime Minister affirmed that the government is harnessing all its capabilities and resources to deal with the repercussions of these events and to ensure the safety and security of everyone, praising in this regard the high level of preparedness and professional handling shown by the security personnel and medical teams, and their rapid response in saving lives and preserving property.

بتكليف من صاحب السمو الملكي الأمير #سلمان_بن_حمد آل خليفة، ولي العهد رئيس مجلس الوزراء، قام الشيخ خالد بن عبد الله آل خليفة، نائب رئيس مجلس الوزراء، صباح اليوم، يرافقه الفريق أول الشيخ راشد بن عبد الله آل خليفة، وزير الداخلية، وعدد من الوزراء وكبار المسؤولين، بزيارة تفقدية إلى منطقة #سترة؛ للاطمئنان عن كثب على سلامة المواطنين إثر تعرض المنطقة للهجمات الإيرانية العدائية الآثمة. وأبلغ خلال الزيارة أهالي وذوي المصابين جراء تلك الهجمات العدائية الآثمة أمر صاحب السمو الملكي ولي العهد رئيس مجلس الوزراء، بتكفل الحكومة بمعالجة الأضرار التي لحقت بمنازلهم وممتلكاتهم، وتوفير الحلول المناسبة التي تضمن استقرارهم، فضلاً عن متابعة الحالة الصحية للمصابين من خلال توفير أفضل الخدمات الطبية التي تقدمها المستشفيات الحكومية، أو عبر استقدام الأطباء المتخصصين لمعالجتهم، أو التكفل بعلاجهم في الخارج إن استدعى الأمر ذلك. وأضاف لدى لقائه أهالي سترة أن الهجمات الإيرانية العدائية الآثمة أثبتت بما لا يدع مجالاً للشك، أن ديدن شعب البحرين الملتف حول راية الوطن وقيادة حضرة صاحب الجلالة الملك حمد بن عيسى آل خليفة ملك البلاد المعظم، هو التكاتف والاصطفاف كالبنيان المرصوص الذي يشد بعضه بعضاً في مواجهة التحديات. وقال إن ما آلم أهلنا في سترة، ألم أهلنا في كافة أرجاء الوطن، وهو شعور فريد يعكس التلاحم الوطني الذي يبرهن على الدوام أن مملكة البحرين، من أقصاها إلى أقصاها، أسرة واحدة عصية على كل المساعي اليائسة للنيل من أمنها واستقرارها وتماسك نسيجها المجتمعي، وأنها ستظل دائماً بوحدة أبنائها وعزيمتهم سداً منيعاً في وجه كل مؤامرات الفرقة والتخريب. وأكد نائب رئيس مجلس الوزراء أن الحكومة تسخر كافة إمكانياتها ومواردها للتعامل مع تداعيات هذه الأحداث وضمان أمن وسلامة الجميع، مشيداً في هذا الصدد بمستوى الجاهزية العالية والتعامل الاحترافي الذي أظهرته الكوادر الأمنية والطواقم الطبية، وسرعة استجابتها في إنقاذ الأرواح والحفاظ على الممتلكات.

US Patriot Missile Falls on Bahraini Homes A Patriot missile fell on a residential area in Bahrain, raising questions about a technical malfunction during an interception operation. A missile from the US Patriot air defense system fell into a residential area on Sitra Island, near the Bahraini capital Manama, today, while the defense systems were engaged to intercept aerial attacks in the region. According to media reports, the missile was launched to intercept drones or missiles during a state of military alert, but it experienced a technical malfunction after launch and fell on civilian homes, causing damage to buildings and injuring several residents. There is no official confirmation of the number of casualties yet. The incident comes amidst regional military escalation related to the ongoing conflict between the United States and Israel on one side and Iran on the other, which has seen missile and drone strikes targeting sites in several Gulf countries, including Bahrain. In your opinion: Do these incidents reveal the limitations of air defense systems in conflict zones? Source: Agencies + International Media Reports

سقوط باتريوت أمريكي على منازل البحرين سقوط صاروخ باتريوت على حي سكني بالبحرين يثير تساؤلات حول خلل تقني أثناء التصدي لهجوم سقط صاروخ من منظومة الدفاع الجوي الأمريكية باتريوت داخل منطقة سكنية في جزيرة سترة قرب العاصمة البحرينية المنامة، اليوم، أثناء تشغيل أنظمة الدفاع لاعتراض هجمات جوية في المنطقة. وبحسب تقارير إعلامية، فإن الصاروخ أُطلق لاعتراض طائرات مسيّرة أو صواريخ خلال حالة التأهب العسكري، لكنه تعرض لعطل فني بعد إطلاقه وسقط فوق منازل مدنية، ما تسبب في أضرار بالمباني وإصابة عدد من السكان، دون تأكيد رسمي نهائي لحصيلة الضحايا حتى الآن. الحادث يأتي في ظل التصعيد العسكري الإقليمي المرتبط بالحرب الجارية بين الولايات المتحدة وإسرائيل من جهة وإيران من جهة أخرى، والتي شهدت ضربات صاروخية وطائرات مسيرة استهدفت مواقع في عدة دول خليجية بينها البحرين. برأيك: هل تكشف هذه الحوادث حدود فعالية أنظمة الدفاع الجوي في مناطق النزاع المصدر: وكالات + تقارير إعلامية دولية

Civilians and homes were damaged in the Sitra area of #Bahrain. 32 people were injured, including 4 in critical condition, as a result of the Iranian attack on the #Sitra area, according to the Bahraini government.

تضرر مدنيين ومنازل بمنطقة سترة بـ #البحرين.. 32 شخصا أصيبوا بينهم 4 بحالة حرجة جراء الاعتداء الإيراني على منطقة #سترة حسب حكومة البحرين

A malfunction in the launch of an air defense missile from a US base in #Bahrain led to it falling on citizens' homes in the Sitra area.

خلل في إطلاق صاروخ دفاع جوي من قاعدة أمريكية في #البحرين أدى إلى سقوطه على منازل المواطنين في منطقة سترة

Following a heinous Iranian drone attack on the Sitra area, the Ministry of Health announced that 32 citizens have been injured so far, including four serious cases, some of whom are children requiring surgery. The Ministry stated that the Iranian drone attack on the Sitra area early this morning has resulted in injuries to 32 civilians, who are being treated according to approved medical protocols. Four of the injured are in serious condition, including children who required surgery. The Ministry clarified that all the injured are Bahraini citizens. Among the injured is a 17-year-old girl who sustained severe head and eye injuries, and two children, aged seven and eight, who suffered serious injuries to their lower extremities. The youngest injured person is a two-month-old infant. The Ministry of Health emphasized that the injured are under observation and being monitored by specialized medical teams. The health system is on high alert, and its readiness level has been raised across all vital departments since the beginning of this heinous aggression against the Kingdom of Bahrain.

إثر هجوم إيراني آثم بطائرات مسيرة طال منطقة سترة.. وزارة الصحة: إصابة 32 مواطنًا حتى الآن بينهم 4 حالات بليغة منها حالات لأطفال استدعت التدخل الجراحي أعلنت وزارة الصحة أن الهجوم الإيراني الآثم بطائرات مسيرة الذي طال منطقة سترة فجر اليوم، أسفر حتى الآن عن إصابة 32 مدنيًا يتم التعامل معهم وفق البروتوكولات العلاجية المعتمدة، حيث إن بينهم 4 حالات بليغة، منها حالات لأطفال استدعت التدخل الجراحي. وبينت الوزارة أن جميع المصابين من المواطنين البحرينيين، حيث تضمنت الإصابات تعرض فتاة في السابعة عشرة من عمرها لإصابات بالغة في الرأس والعين، وتعرض طفلان في السابعة والثامنة من عمرهما لإصابات خطيرة في الأطراف السفلية، فيما كان أصغر المصابين رضيع يبلغ من العمر شهرين. ولفتت وزارة الصحة إلى أن الحالات المصابة تحت الملاحظة والمتابعة من قبل الفرق الطبية المختصة، وأن المنظومة الصحية على أهبة الاستعداد وحيث تم رفع مستوى جاهزيتها في مختلف الأقسام الحيوية منذ بدء العدوان الآثم على مملكة البحرين.

General footage from the Sitra area shows the aftermath of an Iranian drone attack. The Ministry of Interior announced injuries among citizens, one of them serious, and damage to several homes in Sitra as a result of the Iranian aggression. For its part, Bahrain TV reported that, so far, eight injuries have been recorded and transferred to Salmaniya Hospital, in addition to 23 minor injuries.

لقطات عامة من منطقة سترة آثار الاستهداف إثر هجوم بالمسيرات الإيرانية على المنطقة. وأعلنت وزارة الداخلية وقوع إصابات في صفوف المواطنين، إحداها بليغة، وتضرر عدد من المنازل في سترة جراء العدوان الإيراني. من جانبه، أفاد تلفزيون البحرين بأنه تم حتى اللحظة رصد 8 إصابات جرى تحويلها إلى مستشفى السلمانية، بالإضافة إلى 23 حالة من الإصابات الطفيفة

Bahrain's Interior Ministry announces injuries and damage to homes in the Sitra area following an attack by Iranian drones.

الداخلية البحرينية تعلن عن وقوع إصابات وتضرر منازل في منطقة سترة إثر هجوم بمسيرات إيرانية.

Scenes showing the aftermath of the Iranian attack on the Sitra area in #Bahrain; the Ministry of Interior announces injuries and damage to homes.

مشاهد لآثار الهجوم الإيراني على منطقة سترة في #البحرين ووزارة الداخلية تعلن سقوط مصابين وتضرر منازل

Ministry of Interior: As a result of the blatant Iranian aggression… injuries among citizens, one of them serious, and damage to a number of houses in the Sitra area following an attack by Iranian drones.

وزارة الداخلية :جراء العدوان الإيراني السافر … إصابات في صفوف المواطنين، احداها بليغة وتضرر عدد من المنازل بمنطقة سترة إثر هجوم بالمسيرات الإيرانية.

The Bahraini Ministry of Interior announced late Sunday evening that a number of citizens were injured, including one in critical condition, and that several homes were damaged in the Sitra area following an Iranian drone attack. King Hamad bin Isa of Bahrain affirmed that the Iranian attacks against his country and other Arab states are unprecedented and cannot be justified under any pretext. In a press conference, King Hamad bin Isa stated, "We appreciate the efforts of our military and security forces in maintaining the safety of the nation," adding that Bahrain is fortunate to have received support through Gulf solidarity. The King continued, "We have received calls from around the world expressing solidarity with our country."

أعلنت وزارة الداخلية البحرينية، في وقت متأخر من مساء الأحد، إصابة عدد من المواطنين، بينهم حالة وصفت بالبليغة، إضافة إلى تضرر عدد من المنازل في منطقة سترة، وذلك إثر هجوم بطائرات مسيرة إيرانية استهدف المنطقة. أكد الملك حمد بن عيسى، ملك البحرين، أن ما تعرضت له بلاده والدول العربية من اعتداءات إيرانية غير مسبوقة، ولا يمكن تبريره تحت أي ذريعة. وقال حمد بن عيسى، خلال كلمته التي ألقاها بمؤتمر صحفي: نثمن جهود قواتنا العسكرية والأمنية التي تحافظ على سلامة الوطن، مؤكدا أنه من حسن حظنا حصولنا على الدعم عبر التضامن الخليجي. وتابع ملك البحرين:  تلقينا اتصالات من أنحاء العالم تؤكد تضامنها مع بلادنا.

#Breaking | Bahrain News Agency: Approximately 32 Bahrainis injured in an Iranian drone attack on Sitra Island

#عاجل | وكالة الأنباء البحرينية: إصابة نحو 32 بحرينيا في هجوم بطائرات مسيرة إيرانية على جزيرة سترة

Based on the directives of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, His Excellency Sheikh Khalid bin Hamoud Al Khalifa, Governor of the Capital Governorate, visited the Sitra area to check on the safety of citizens, after the Iranian aggression targeted the area with drones, which resulted in a number of injuries among citizens and damage to homes and vehicles.

بناءً على توجيهات صاحب السمو الملكي الأمير سلمان بن حمد آل خليفة ولي العهد رئيس مجلس الوزراء، قام معالي الشيخ خالد بن حمود آل خليفة محافظ محافظة العاصمة ، بزيارة إلى منطقة سترة وذلك للاطمئنان على سلامة المواطنين ، بعد استهداف العدوان الإيراني الآثم للمنطقة بطائرات مسيّرة ، مما اسفر عن وقوع عدد من الإصابات في صفوف المواطنين واحداث أضرار بالمنازل والمركبات .

Bahrain Government National Communication Centre: 32 civilians injured, including 4 in critical condition, as a result of an Iranian drone attack on the Sitra area

مركز الاتصال الوطني لحكومة البحرين: إصابة 32 مدنيا بينهم 4 في حالات حرجة جراء هجوم إيراني بالمسيرات على منطقة سترة

Iran continues its attacks on Israel and the Gulf, and Bahrain was subjected to two attacks in Sitra Island and the Ma'ameer complex, while other Gulf states intercepted its missiles.

تواصل إيران هجماتها على إسرائيل والخليج، وتعرضت البحرين لهجومين في جزيرة سترة ومجمع المعامير، فيما تصدّت لصواريخها دول خليجية أخرى.

Following a heinous Iranian drone attack on the Sitra area, the Ministry of Health announced that 32 citizens have been injured so far, including four serious cases, some of whom are children requiring surgery. The Ministry stated that the Iranian drone attack on the Sitra area early this morning has resulted in injuries to 32 civilians, who are being treated according to approved medical protocols. Four of the injured are in serious condition, including children who required surgery. The Ministry clarified that all the injured are Bahraini citizens. Among the injured is a 17-year-old girl who sustained severe head and eye injuries, and two children, aged seven and eight, who suffered serious injuries to their lower extremities. The youngest injured person is a two-month-old infant. The Ministry of Health emphasized that the injured are under observation and being monitored by specialized medical teams. The health system is on high alert, and its readiness level has been raised across all vital departments since the beginning of this heinous aggression against the Kingdom of Bahrain.

إثر هجوم إيراني آثم بطائرات مسيرة طال منطقة سترة.. وزارة الصحة: إصابة 32 مواطنًا حتى الآن بينهم 4 حالات بليغة منها حالات لأطفال استدعت التدخل الجراحي أعلنت وزارة الصحة أن الهجوم الإيراني الآثم بطائرات مسيرة الذي طال منطقة سترة فجر اليوم، أسفر حتى الآن عن إصابة 32 مدنيًا يتم التعامل معهم وفق البروتوكولات العلاجية المعتمدة، حيث إن بينهم 4 حالات بليغة، منها حالات لأطفال استدعت التدخل الجراحي. وبينت الوزارة أن جميع المصابين من المواطنين البحرينيين، حيث تضمنت الإصابات تعرض فتاة في السابعة عشرة من عمرها لإصابات بالغة في الرأس والعين، وتعرض طفلان في السابعة والثامنة من عمرهما لإصابات خطيرة في الأطراف السفلية، فيما كان أصغر المصابين رضيع يبلغ من العمر شهرين. ولفتت وزارة الصحة إلى أن الحالات المصابة تحت الملاحظة والمتابعة من قبل الفرق الطبية المختصة، وأن المنظومة الصحية على أهبة الاستعداد وحيث تم رفع مستوى جاهزيتها في مختلف الأقسام الحيوية منذ بدء العدوان الآثم على مملكة البحرين.

Iranian drone attacks targeted the Sitra area of Bahrain early Monday morning, damaging several vehicles and buildings and scattering debris in the streets, according to footage published by Reuters. The Bahrain News Agency confirmed that the Iranian attack on Sitra injured 32 citizens, including four in critical condition, among them children who required surgery.

استهدفت هجمات بطائرات مسيرة إيرانية، فجر الاثنين، منطقة "سترة" في البحرين؛ مما أسفر عن تضرر عدد من المركبات والمباني وتناثر الحطام في الشوارع، وفقاً لما أظهرته مقاطع نشرتها وكالة "رويترز". وأكدت وكالة الأنباء البحرينية أن الهجوم الإيراني على "سترة" أسفر عن إصابة 32 مواطناً؛ بينهم 4 حالات بالغة، ومنها إصابات لأطفال استدعت التدخل الجراحي.

The aftermath of the Iranian drone attack on residential buildings in the #Sitra area, which left more than 30 people injured.

آثار العدون الإيراني بطائرة مسيرة على المباني السكنية في منطقة #سترة والذي خلف أكثر من 30 إصابة

The moment an American Patriot missile fell on civilian homes in #Bahrain.

لحظة سقوط صاروخ أمريكي من دفاعات الباتريوت على منازل المدنيين في #البحرين.

Injuries reported after US Patriot missiles failed to intercept an Iranian missile in #Bahrain.

جرحى جراء سقوط صواريخ باتريوت أميركية بعد فشلها بالتصدي لصاروخ إيراني في #البحرين.

Middlebury Institute of International Studies researchers concluded with moderate-to-high confidence that the suspect missile was likely launched from a U.S. Patriot battery located about 4 miles (7 km) to the southwest of the impacted neighborhood.March 22, 20262:00 AM EDTUpdated March 23, 2026An American-operated Patriot air defense battery likely fired the interceptor missile involved in a pre-dawn explosion that injured dozens of civilians and tore through homes in U.S.-ally Bahrain 10 days into the war on Iran, according to an analysis by academic researchers examined by Reuters.Both Bahrain and Washington have blamed an Iranian drone attack for the March 9 blast, which the Gulf kingdom said injured 32 people including children, some seriously. Commenting on the day of the attack, U.S. Central Command said on X that an Iranian drone struck a residential neighbourhood in Bahrain. In response to questions from Reuters, Bahrain on Saturday acknowledged for the first time that a Patriot missile was involved in the explosion over the Mahazza neighborhood on Sitra island, offshore from the capital Manama and also home to an oil refinery.In the statement, a Bahraini government spokesperson said the missile successfully intercepted an Iranian drone mid-air, saving lives.“The damage and injuries sustained were not a result of a direct impact to the ground of either the Patriot interceptor or the Iranian drone,” the spokesperson said.Neither Bahrain or Washington has provided evidence that an Iranian drone was involved in the Mahazza incident. The use of costly, advanced weaponry to defend against attacks by far cheaper drones has been a defining feature of the war. The incident points to the risks and limitations of this strategy: The blast from the powerful Patriot, whether or not it intercepted a drone, contributed to widespread damage and casualties, while Bahrain’s air defenses were unable to prevent strikes that night on the nearby oil refinery, which declared force majeure hours later. When asked for comment, the Pentagon referred Reuters to Central Command, which did not immediately reply to questions.In response to questions sent to the White House, a senior U.S. official said the United States was “crushing” Iran’s ability to shoot or produce drones and missiles. “We will continue to address these threats to our country and our allies,” the official said, adding that the U.S. military “never targets civilians.” The official did not answer specific questions about the Patriot attack.On February 28, the first day of U.S. strikes on Iran, an Iranian girls school took a direct hit. Investigators at the U.S. Defense Department believe U.S. forces were likely responsible, Reuters first reported, possibly because of outdated targeting data, two U.S. sources previously told the news agency.Video of the aftermath of the Mahazza blast in Bahrain verified by Reuters shows rubble around houses, a thick layer of dust in the streets, an injured man and screaming residents.Both Bahrain and the United States operate U.S. Patriot air defense batteries in the kingdom, a close U.S. ally located on the Persian Gulf that hosts the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet along with the regional U.S. naval command.Bahrain plays a critical role in the security of the Strait of Hormuz, the chokepoint that carries about a fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas and has been almost entirely closed by Iran, causing unprecedented disruption to world oil supplies.On the night of the explosion in Mahazza, the refinery on Sitra came under Iranian attack, according to Bahraini national oil company Bapco. Videos show smoke rising from the facility on the morning of March 9. Reuters could not establish whether the cause of the explosion during a night of Iranian attacks on Sitra would have been immediately apparent to U.S. and Bahraini forces. Bahrain in its statement did not say why it had not mentioned the involvement of a Patriot at the time. Iran’s mission to the United Nations did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the incident.Produced by Raytheon, part of RTX Corp., the Patriot is the U.S. Army’s primary high-to-medium range aircraft-and-missile interceptor system and forms the backbone of U.S. and allied air defenses. The US has longer range systems like THAAD.Bahrain’s government declined to say whether the missile that detonated on March 9, was fired by its own forces or by the United States.But research associates Sam Lair and Michael Duitsman and Professor Jeffrey Lewis of the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey concluded with moderate-to-high confidence that the suspect missile was likely launched from a U.S. Patriot battery located about 4 miles (7 km) to the southwest of the Mahazza neighborhood.The conclusions of the three American munitions and open-source intelligence researchers, reported here for the first time, were based on their review of open-source visuals and commercial satellite imagery. Reuters showed the Middlebury analysis to two target-analysis experts and one Patriot system missile researcher, who found no reason to dispute its conclusion. One of them, Wes Bryant, a former senior targeting advisor and policy analyst at the Pentagon, said Lair, Duitsman and Lewis’s conclusions were “pretty undeniable.”Key to the Middlebury analysis was a video shot from an apartment building and shared on social media. The video shows the suspect Patriot roaring across the sky at low altitude on a northeastern trajectory. It then angled downward and out of sight. A flash of light in the distance appeared to mark its detonation 1.3 seconds later.Hany Farid, a professor at the University of California at Berkeley specializing in digital forensics, reviewed the video for Reuters to determine if it was generated by artificial intelligence. He found “no obvious evidence that the video is fake.”Lair, Duitsman and Lewis geolocated the video to a neighborhood in Riffa, Bahrain’s second-largest city. Reuters confirmed the geolocation. The earliest post of the video Reuters could find online was at around 2 am local time on March 9. “The Riffa site’s location and orientation are consistent with the trajectory” of that of the suspect Patriot, the analysis said.Multiple videos posted to social media the morning of March 9 show damage to residences in Block 602 of the Mahazza neighborhood. The researchers first geolocated the visuals using landmarks that appeared to match commercial satellite imagery of the area and visible street addresses. Reuters independently verified the geolocation.The researchers then traced the trajectory of the suspect missile from Block 602 straight back to what they assessed – based on commercial satellite imagery – was the U.S. Patriot battery based less than half a mile from where the video of the missile in flight was recorded in Riffa. A battery consists of a radar unit, a command hub and up to eight launchers that are integrated to detect, track and intercept aircraft and missiles. Using commercial satellite imagery, the researchers determined that five launchers were visible at the Riffa site two days before the March 9 incident. The battery has been there since at least 2009, according to satellite imagery. The Bahraini Defense Force did not start operating its own Patriot systems until 2024, according to a Lockheed Martin press release.The Riffa site has features that are both distinctive to U.S. Patriot batteries in the region and different from those of known Bahrain-operated batteries, the researchers said, including protective walls, unpaved roads and a lack of permanent buildings. Based on these elements, the researchers concluded that the battery is likely operated by the United States, which uses Patriots to defend its naval sites in Bahrain. The researchers were unable to say with confidence what caused the Patriot to explode. But they added that based on the available evidence, including the pattern and spread of damage on the ground, it appeared to have detonated mid-flight.They concluded that it was possible the Patriot was aimed at a low-flying drone and that the combined explosion of the missile and drone ignited the blast, the analysis said. “If this was the case, this was an irresponsible intercept attempt as it endangered the lives and the homes of allied civilians in a residential area,” the analysis saidThis scenario matches what Bahrain’s government spokesperson said happened: that the Patriot intercepted an Iranian drone and both detonated in the air. However, the analysis said, the direction of the damage and the lack of available evidence of a drone over the neighborhood suggested another scenario, that “the explosion was the result of the detonation of the warhead and unexpended propellant of a Patriot interceptor.”Despite the claim by Bahrain, the researchers said it was less likely the missile made contact with a drone. Reuters could not independently verify the presence or not of an Iranian drone during the incident.The analysis said that videos taken after the attack and photographs released by Bahrani authorities show that the blast damage was concentrated along four streets of Mahazza.A Bahrain television news broadcast on March 9 and a government press release showed an extensively damaged home about 400 feet (120 meters) from the center of the main blast area, with interior photos showing holes in a wall created by shrapnel, the analysis said.When all the damage is considered together, the Middlebury analysis noted, it matches what one would expect if a Patriot missile exploded in the air over a road intersection in the neighborhood. Pieces of the missile then flew about 120 meters farther and hit the other house, the analysis said.Robert Maher, an audio specialist who reviewed the video at the request of Reuters, said his analysis supports the approximate location of the explosion over the damaged homes. In the video, a flash is seen about eight seconds in, but an explosion is never heard before the clip ends 19 seconds later. That’s because light travels faster than sound. Based on how long the sound would take to reach the person who shot the video, the explosion had to be more than four miles away. The damaged homes were about 4.6 miles (7.4 km) away, which fits with the timing.Maher said that in the audio from the video he heard no drones or other missiles, although their sounds would have been faint or inaudible if they were more than four miles away from where the video was taken. “I don’t see anything that is inconsistent with my observations from the audio,” Maher said after reviewing the Middlebury analysis.Defense and industry officials say Patriot misfires are rare, but they do happen, including an errant missile in 2007 that hit a farm in Qatar. In an X post on March 9, U.S. Central Command denounced Iranian and Russian news reports that said the incident in Mahazza was the result of a failed Patriot, calling it a “LIE.” It said an Iranian drone struck a residential neighborhood.Reuters and the Middlebury researchers were unable to obtain or review any visual evidence of missile or drone fragments. Reuters attempted to contact witnesses in Bahrain, but several people declined to speak, citing fear of reprisals. Human Rights Watch has documented arrests of people in Bahrain during the war for posting videos on social media of attacks.In the video of the suspect missile in flight, the Patriot appears to pass a much steeper smoke trail that the researchers said likely belonged to a first interceptor fired moments earlier.Patriots are often fired in pairs to increase the chances that one hits the target. Neither the researchers or Reuters could establish what happened to the first missile. The low trajectory of the second missile and its deviation from the route of the earlier launch could be signs of a possible problem, the researchers said. But they could not rule out the possibility that it was shot in that direction on purpose.Bahrain’s spokesperson said any suggestion of malfunction or misfiring of the Patriots in Bahrain “was factually incorrect.”The Reuters Daily Briefing newsletter provides all the news you need to start your day. Sign up here.Reporting by Jonathan Landay, M.B. Pell and Travis Hartman; Additional reporting by Arthur Wei in Beijing, Aaron McNicholas in London, Maha El Dahan and Samia Nakhoul in Dubai, Andrew Mills in Doha, Idrees Ali in Washington; Editing by Sarah Cahlan and Frank Jack DanielOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tabMichael Pell has worked on the Reuters’ data team since 2013. At Reuters Pell was part of a team that exposed fraud and slum-like conditions at privately-owned military base housing across the country resulting in a major military landlord pleading guilty to fraud in federal court. Pell worked on stories that uncovered the harms caused by COVID lockdown policies and identified thousands of neighborhoods across the country with higher rates of child lead poisoning than Flint, Michigan during the peak of that city’s water crisis.