Bahrain Imports Anti-Riot Troops as Protests Erupt Over U.S. War with Iran

Bahrain has brought in anti-riot troops from Jordan as protests erupt across the country over its role in the expanding U.S. military campaign against Iran.

The deployment marks the first time since the Arab Spring that Bahrain has called in foreign forces to help contain domestic unrest. Authorities are reportedly concerned about demonstrations emerging from the country’s Shia-majority population, Capital & Empire reported, citing sources.

Bahrain hosts the United States Navy Fifth Fleet, making the island kingdom a key location for U.S. military operations in the Middle East. Protests have been directed both at Bahrain’s ruling authorities and at Washington’s presence in the country.

The demonstrations intensified following the reported assassination of Ali Khamenei, a prominent Iranian Shia religious leader. Bahraini security forces have responded with force, including firing tear gas directly into crowds. One U.S. official said the protests show how “deeply unpopular” the U.S.-backed regional order is in Bahrain and across the broader Muslim world.

Bahrain previously relied on foreign intervention to contain unrest during the 2011 protests. At that time, troops from Gulf states including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates entered Bahrain under the Saudi-led Peninsula Shield force, a regional security mechanism that later evolved into the Unified Military Command.

The unrest comes as Iran continues targeting locations linked to U.S. military activity in the region. Bahrain has reported multiple strikes on its territory since hostilities escalated.

On Wednesday, the Bahrain Defence Force said its units intercepted and destroyed 106 ballistic missiles and 176 drones since the start of the conflict. Authorities urged residents to remain indoors and leave their homes only when necessary.

Bahrain’s Interior Ministry released footage showing a major blaze at a fuel storage site on Thursday after an Iranian attack on Muharraq Island, home to Bahrain International Airport. The fire involved oil tanks in an area that includes jet fuel storage used by the airport as well as facilities tied to the country’s oil industry.

Residents in nearby neighborhoods were advised to remain indoors and close windows and ventilation openings as a precaution against smoke from the fire. Bahrain had earlier moved some aircraft away from the airport area.

Iran has warned countries hosting U.S. military infrastructure against allowing their territory to be used for attacks on Iranian targets.