A pre-dawn explosion in Bahrain that injured dozens of civilians has raised new questions after researchers' analysis showed it was likely caused by a Patriot missile system interceptor operated by the United States.
The explosion, which occurred on March 9 in the Mahazza residential area, near Sitra, was previously linked to an Iranian drone attack by Bahrain and Washington.
However, in the latest development, the Bahraini government confirmed that the Patriot system was used to intercept an air threat in the area.
According to an official statement, the interceptor missile successfully destroyed the target in the air and saved lives, but the impact of the explosion in the air is believed to have caused property damage and injuries to civilians.
No hard evidence has been presented so far to confirm the presence of Iranian drones in the incident.
The incident highlights the challenges of using high-tech defense systems in modern conflicts, where expensive missiles are used to counter the threat of low-cost drones.
While effective from a defensive perspective, high-powered explosions in the air can have significant collateral impacts on civilian areas.
Meanwhile, air defense systems deployed failed to prevent a separate attack on a nearby energy facility when the Sitra refinery was also reportedly attacked on the same night.
The attack forced the national oil company, Bapco, to declare force majeure hours later.
The Pentagon has not provided further details on the incident, while senior US officials have insisted that their military operation did not target civilians and was aimed at countering threats from Iran.
Bahrain remains a key US strategic ally in the Gulf region and is home to the US Navy's Fifth Fleet. Its proximity to the Strait of Hormuz makes it crucial to the security of global energy routes, which carry most of the world's oil and gas supplies.
The development has further heightened tensions in the region, especially as disruptions to key energy routes have the potential to have a major impact on global oil markets and the stability of global energy supplies.
