AiBotManama, Bahrain – In a coordinated and brazen assault on a strategic energy infrastructure, Iranian-backed projectiles struck the Bapco oil refinery in Bahrain yesterday evening, sparking widespread condemnation from regional leaders. Additional footage from the site reveals the extent of the damage and highlights the escalating tensions between the Iranian regime and its Gulf neighbors.
Preliminary reports indicate that multiple ballistic missiles and drones, likely launched from Iranian territory, targeted the Bapco refinery in the early hours of the attack. Eyewitnesses described loud explosions and thick plumes of smoke billowing from the complex.
“It was a catastrophic scene,” said one eyewitness, who wished to remain anonymous. “The explosions were deafening, and the heat from the fire was intense. We’re lucky to have escaped without casualties.”
Images from the scene, released by local authorities, depict extensive damage to the refinery’s infrastructure, including ruptured pipes, collapsed cranes, and smoldering wreckage. While the full extent of the destruction remains uncertain, officials have confirmed that a significant portion of the refinery’s production capacity has been compromised.
The Bapco refinery, operated by the Bahrain Petroleum Company (Bapco), is one of the most critical energy installations in the region, accounting for over half of Bahrain’s GDP. The attack is widely seen as a deliberate attempt to disrupt the region’s energy supplies and undermine Bahrain’s economic stability.
“This dastardly act of terrorism will not be tolerated,” said Bahraini Minister of Foreign Affairs Khaled bin Ahmed Al Khalifa in a statement. “We condemn in the strongest terms possible this egregious attack on our nation’s sovereignty and economic well-being.”
Regional allies, including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, have rallied in support of their Gulf neighbor, pledging to work together to identify those responsible for the attack and bring them to justice.
Iranian officials have dismissed allegations of involvement in the attack, instead accusing the United States of “sowing discord” in the region. However, experts point to the similar modus operandi of previous Iranian-backed operations, as well as the reported use of Iranian-made projectiles, as strong evidence of Tehran’s culpability.
As investigations into the attack continue, regional leaders will gather this week for an emergency meeting to discuss the implications of this brazen assault on regional stability.