Tensions across the Middle East intensified on Monday after Iran launched strikes that hit Bahrain’s largest oil refinery, prompting emergency sirens and heightened security alerts across the Gulf region.
Bahrain’s Interior Ministry urged residents to seek shelter immediately. “The siren has been sounded. Citizens and residents are urged to remain calm and head to the nearest safe place,” the ministry said in a statement.
The attack reportedly struck the BAPCO Refinery, Bahrain’s main oil processing facility. Following the incident, the state oil company declared force majeure, signalling disruptions to operations due to extraordinary circumstances.
Strikes Follow US-Israel Attacks on Iran
The escalation comes shortly after joint military strikes by the United States and Israel targeted Iranian oil facilities, including sites in the capital city of Tehran. The attacks marked a significant expansion of the ongoing conflict in the region.
In response, Iran has launched retaliatory strikes targeting strategic infrastructure and military installations across Gulf nations.
Saudi Arabia and Qatar Intercept Attacks
Authorities in Saudi Arabia said their air defence systems intercepted four drones heading towards the Shaybah oilfield, located in the Rub’ al Khali Desert.
Meanwhile, Qatar reported that its armed forces had intercepted a missile attack after the country’s interior ministry issued an elevated security warning.
The United Arab Emirates also confirmed that its air defence systems were responding to missile threats as tensions spread across the Gulf.
Israel Continues Airstrikes in Iran
At the same time, Israel launched a new wave of strikes in central Iran targeting security and missile infrastructure. According to the Israeli military, the targets included a rocket engine production facility and several long-range ballistic missile launch sites.
The Israeli forces also claimed to have destroyed the headquarters of the air force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which it said served as a command centre for ballistic missile and unmanned aerial vehicle operations.
Mojtaba Khamenei Appointed Iran’s New Supreme Leader
Amid the escalating conflict, Iran announced the appointment of a new Supreme Leader. According to state broadcaster Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei has been selected as the country’s new leader by the Assembly of Experts.
Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, is the son of former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in the earlier US-Israel strikes.
Following the announcement, the IRGC pledged allegiance to the new leader, while senior officials described the appointment as legitimate and necessary during the crisis.
Strong Reactions from the United States
Donald Trump, President of the United States, criticised the appointment, reportedly describing Mojtaba Khamenei as “a lightweight” and suggesting the new leadership would not last long without broader international acceptance.
The White House has not yet issued an official response to the leadership change.
US Orders Embassy Staff to Leave Saudi Arabia
As tensions continue to rise, the United States Department of State has ordered non-emergency embassy staff and their families to leave Saudi Arabia due to increasing security risks.
The decision follows drone attacks that reportedly struck the US embassy in Riyadh last week, while American diplomatic missions in Kuwait and the UAE have also faced threats.
Analysts warn that the expanding strikes and retaliations across the region signal a dangerous escalation in the Middle East conflict, with major global powers and Gulf nations now increasingly drawn into the crisis.
