Manama: Bahrain has confirmed that a U.S.-made Patriot air defence system was used to intercept an Iranian drone over a residential area on March 9, preventing what officials described as a potentially deadly attack.
According to a government spokesperson, multiple drone incidents were reported that day, which authorities attributed to Iran.
One of the drones was intercepted over the Sitra district, averting a strike that could have caused significant casualties.
“During this incident, the Patriot air defence system intercepted an Iranian drone aerially,” the spokesperson said, adding that if the drone had hit the residential area, it “would have resulted in significant loss of life.”
The United States military had earlier characterized the event as a direct Iranian drone strike, highlighting rising tensions in the region.
The Patriot system, developed in the United States, is designed to detect, track, and intercept incoming threats such as missiles, drones, and other aerial targets. Its deployment in Bahrain is part of broader regional defense arrangements aimed at countering aerial threats.
The incident underscores escalating security concerns in the Gulf, as regional tensions continue to heighten amid ongoing geopolitical instability.