Smoke was seen billowing above Bahrain International Airport on Thursday as Iran continued its wave of attacks on Gulf states amid escalating tensions in the Middle East.
It was unclear whether the tanks reportedly struck were part of the airport’s kerosene storage facilities or at a separate nearby site. Reuters reported plumes of smoke rising near the airport.
Local reports indicated that air defence systems were active over Manama, describing “an impact and large fire near Bahrain International Airport,” with claims that a fuel depot had been hit.
Bahrain’s Interior Ministry stated on X that authorities were taking “necessary measures” following the incident but did not provide further details.
The country has already been targeted earlier in the conflict. On March 5, an Iranian missile struck the Sitra refinery, a major facility capable of processing about 405,000 barrels of oil per day. Authorities reported limited damage and no casualties from that incident.
Elsewhere in the Gulf, there were also reports of an attack near Dubai International Airport, where a drone reportedly struck a tower close to the Address Hotel. Iran has launched a series of retaliatory strikes following joint U.S.-Israeli operations against the country, focusing on Gulf states that host American military facilities, including Bahrain.
Bahrain’s 🇧🇭 Interior Ministry said early Thursday that fuel storage tanks at a facility in Muharraq governorate were targeted in an attack attributed to Iran 🇮🇷, adding that authorities have begun taking measures to handle the incident and secure the site.
The incident came… pic.twitter.com/3iswZ45qtz
— Saad Abedine (@SaadAbedine) March 12, 2026
Earlier this week, officials in Abu Dhabi responded to a fire at the Ruwais Industrial Complex after a drone strike ignited one of the facilities at the site. In Kuwait City, refinery workers were injured when debris fell at the Mina Al-Ahmadi refinery, which processes around 346,000 barrels of oil per day.
Meanwhile, in Saudi Arabia, oil giant Saudi Aramco shut down its Ras Tanura refinery—capable of refining about 550,000 barrels a day—after debris from intercepted drones fell on the facility. The site was reportedly targeted again two days later.
The expanding attacks on airports, refineries, and energy infrastructure across the Gulf have heightened fears of broader disruptions to global oil supplies and international aviation routes.
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