New york: The Permanent Mission of the Kingdom of Bahrain to the United Nations in New York sent an identical letter to both the United Nations Secretary-General and the President of the Security Council on March 16, 2026. This marks the sixth in a series of official communications addressing developments related to the ongoing and blatant Iranian aggression against the Kingdom of Bahrain, which constitutes a flagrant violation of the Kingdom's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and a serious escalation threatening regional stability and international peace and security. The letter underscores Iran's disregard for and non-compliance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 2817.
According to Bahrain News Agency, the letter outlined the latest developments and key statistics concerning the unjustified Iranian aggression that the Kingdom of Bahrain has been confronting since February 28, 2026. These attacks have targeted sites, infrastructure, vital facilities, and residential areas within the Kingdom's territory. It further referenced official reports confirming that these attacks are part of successive waves of missile and drone strikes targeting several countries in the region, representing an unprecedented escalation that threatens regional security and stability.
The letter affirmed that, since the onset of these attacks, the air defence systems of the Bahrain Defence Force have continued to intercept and respond to these assaults. The General Command of the Bahrain Defence Force announced that air defence systems have successfully intercepted and destroyed 129 ballistic missiles and more than 220 hostile drones targeting the Kingdom's airspace, territorial waters, and land, thereby mitigating potential damage and protecting civilian lives and critical infrastructure.
With regard to the continued targeting of civilian objects and vital facilities, the letter highlighted attacks carried out by Iranian forces against energy facilities and fuel storage tanks in Muharraq Governorate on March 12, 2026. It also referenced attacks targeting a facility in the Ma'ameer area and in Sitra on March 9, 2026, as well as an attack on a residential building in the capital, Manama, on March 10, 2026, which resulted in the death of a Bahraini citizen and injuries to several civilians, including children, in addition to damage to civilian facilities and important infrastructure. These incidents underscore the indiscriminate and unlawful nature of such attacks against populated areas, posing a direct threat to civilian lives and safety, in clear violation of international law, particularly international humanitarian law.
The letter reiterated the Kingdom of Bahrain's full and inherent right to respond to these attacks in a manner proportionate to their nature and scale, in accordance with Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations and within the framework of international law, and in coordination with its allies and partners. It also reaffirmed the Kingdom's steadfast commitment to the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter and its determination to take all necessary measures to safeguard its security and stability and to protect its territory, citizens, and residents.
In this context, and in light of the continued escalation of these reprehensible and unjustified attacks, the letter referred to the position of the international community as reflected in United Nations Security Council Resolution 2817, adopted on March 11, 2026 and submitted by the Kingdom of Bahrain. The resolution strongly condemned the attacks carried out by the Islamic Republic of Iran against the territories of the GCC member states and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, affirmed their right to self-defense, individually or collectively, under Article 51 of the UN Charter, and reflected broad international solidarity, demonstrated by the co-sponsorship of the draft resolution by 136 countries.
The letter concluded by affirming that the Kingdom of Bahrain will assess all damages and losses resulting from these attacks through the competent authorities, and will continue to keep the United Nations informed of any relevant developments.