An Iranian Shahed drone slammed into the upper floors of the Era View residential tower in Manama's Hoora neighborhood on Saturday, February 28, 2026, setting the high-rise ablaze and triggering rescue operations across Bahrain's capital as Iran's retaliatory assault on Gulf states reached civilian areas.
Bahrain's Interior Ministry confirmed that several residential buildings in Manama had been hit and that civil defence teams were engaged in active firefighting and rescue operations at multiple sites across the city.
What Happened in Manama
A drone struck the top floors of the Era View residential tower in Hoora — approximately a 15-minute drive from the US Navy's Fifth Fleet headquarters. Footage circulating on social media showed a dramatic fireball erupting at the upper levels of the high-rise against the night skyline of Manama.
A second residential complex, The Breaker tower, also caught fire following a separate impact. Bahrain Police spokesperson Abdullah Alameeri confirmed the incidents are under investigation, with authorities examining whether damage was caused by direct drone strikes or falling debris from missile intercepts.
Three apartment complexes in total were reported damaged across Manama. Emergency and rescue teams remained active at all three sites through Saturday night.
Why Bahrain Was Targeted
Bahrain hosts the headquarters of the US Navy's Fifth Fleet — one of the most strategically significant American military installations in the entire Middle East. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps confirmed it had launched missiles and Shahed-type drones specifically targeting US bases and military assets across the Gulf, naming Bahrain as a primary target.
The Fifth Fleet compound sits in Bahrain's Juffair district, surrounded closely by commercial and residential buildings. Military and civilian structures are separated by minimal distance in this densely developed area, meaning strikes aimed at US naval infrastructure carry direct risk to civilian neighborhoods.
Bahrain's government condemned the attacks as a "treacherous assault" and a "blatant violation of the kingdom's sovereignty." Ambassador Shaikh Abdullah bin Rashid Al Khalifa called the strikes a direct attack against "sites within the Kingdom" in a statement on X.
The Bigger Picture: Iran's Gulf-Wide Strike
The Bahrain attack is one front in a large-scale Iranian retaliatory operation launched after the United States and Israel conducted joint strikes on Iranian military infrastructure earlier on Saturday. Iran confirmed attacks across Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and the UAE — all of which host US military assets.
In the UAE, debris from an intercepted drone caused a fire on the outer facade of the Burj Al Arab in Dubai. One civilian was killed in Abu Dhabi after being struck by falling debris. The UAE Ministry of Defence reported intercepting over 100 ballistic missiles and nearly 200 drones.
In Qatar, eight people were injured — one critically — and a radar system at the Al Udeid military base near Doha sustained damage. Kuwait's Ali Al-Salem Air Base was targeted by ballistic missiles, all of which were intercepted.
The death toll from the broader US-Israeli strikes on Iran has reached over 200 killed and approximately 700 injured, according to the Iranian Red Crescent. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi confirmed that a girls' primary school in Iran's Minab county was struck, killing dozens of children.
Current Status
Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, and the UAE have all temporarily closed their airspace. Emirates, Qatar Airways, Lufthansa, Air France, and Turkish Airways have suspended or diverted flights. EASA issued a conflict zone bulletin for the region, advising all carriers to avoid affected airspace.
Iran has announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz — through which approximately 20 percent of global oil supply passes — to all shipping traffic.
US Central Command confirmed no American military casualties in Bahrain. Civilian casualty figures from the residential tower strikes in Manama had not been officially confirmed at time of publication.
This is a developing story. Updates will be added as official statements are released.