Iran targets US radar in Bahrain, reports tanker explosion in Hormuz

On Friday, Iran's Revolutionary Guards claimed they had targeted a US early-warning radar in Bahrain, while the Guards' navy reported an explosion on a liquefied natural gas tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, underscoring ongoing risks for military assets and commercial shipping. The Guards stated that the radar attack was in retaliation for an air strike on a telecommunications tower in Iran's Hormozgan province, marking the first time since early September that Iran had attacked American military assets in a Gulf country.

There was no immediate response from the United States or Bahrain. This came during a fragile ceasefire between Iran and the US, which began after US and Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28. Iran responded with missile and drone attacks on US bases in the Gulf and attempts to restrict shipping through the strategic Hormuz Strait.

The Guards' navy also reported that the LNG tanker had struck a naval mine and exploded while navigating an "unauthorized and dangerous route" through the strait. The report followed previous media accounts on Thursday that four oil tankers had been hit by explosions in the waterway, with the vessels reportedly ignoring warnings and entering areas Tehran deemed restricted.

These incidents highlight the persistent dangers for shipping through Hormuz, despite a recovery in vessel traffic and a push for de-escalation, which has led to lower oil prices. In November alone, at least 10 ships have been attacked in the first 10 days, compared to 37 in October, the highest monthly total since the conflict started in late February, according to the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.