Iran’s Army has announced that it carried out drone strikes against US military assets in Bahrain in retaliation for American attacks on civilian infrastructure inside Iran.

The statement, released through the Iranian state broadcaster IRIB, confirmed that the operation was conducted as the eleventh phase of “Operation Lightning.”

According to the Iranian Army’s Public Relations Department, the strikes targeted US military helicopters and P-8 reconnaissance aircraft stationed at the Sakhir base in Bahrain. The drones used in the attack were identified as Arash systems, which are designed for long-range precision strikes. The Army declared that the action was a direct response to what it described as hostile American attacks on urban infrastructure and innocent civilians.

The statement warned that Iran would continue to respond to US military actions. It further cautioned that any miscalculation of the Iranian nation’s willpower and the combat capabilities of both the Army and the IRGC would carry a heavy cost for what it termed the arrogant enemy.

The escalation follows reports that three people were killed and several others injured after US forces targeted civilian infrastructure in Iran during their latest wave of strikes. IRIB reported that multiple locations in Hormozgan province were hit, marking the sixth consecutive night of American operations against the Islamic Republic.

Two bridges near Kohourestan village and the Shor River in Bandar Khamir County were struck in air raids. One person was killed and eight others injured in the Tappe Allah Akbar neighbourhood of Bandar Abbas. The Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences confirmed that seven of the injured suffered blast-related wounds, while one sustained fractures. The university described the deceased as having attained martyrdom in the attack.

In another incident, the Bandar Abbas railway junction station was targeted, leaving two people injured. The station, located about ten kilometres west of Bandar Abbas, is a critical link for passenger and freight rail lines connected to Shahid Rajaee Port and Bandar Abbas Railway.

The Hormozgan Governorate reported that alongside the Kohorestan Bridge, the Giriveh Bridge—one of the province’s key transport links—was also hit. The strikes on bridges in Khamir County resulted in two deaths and four injuries, further highlighting the civilian toll of the ongoing operations.

The US Central Command confirmed that its forces launched a fresh wave of strikes against Iran on Thursday, marking the sixth consecutive night of military action. CENTCOM stated that the attacks were intended to degrade Iran’s military capabilities, citing Tehran’s threat to commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz.

The statement noted that the strikes began at 2 p.m. ET and were part of Washington’s broader effort to counter Iranian aggression in the region.

This latest cycle of hostilities underscores the intensifying confrontation between Washington and Tehran, with Iran’s retaliatory drone strikes on US assets in Bahrain signalling a dangerous escalation. The targeting of civilian infrastructure by US forces and the subsequent Iranian response highlight the growing risks of miscalculation in the Gulf region.

ANI