Bahrain's hosting of the US Fifth Fleet and its alignment with Washington and Israel have made it a recurring target in Iran's retaliatory missile and drone operations amid the broader 2026 US-Iran conflict. Recent strikes, including those following US actions on Iranian sites, have hit military facilities and infrastructure, prompting Bahrain to intercept dozens of projectiles and accuse Tehran of thousands of attacks across the Gulf. At the September UN General Assembly, Bahrain's foreign minister highlighted these incidents while leading an 80-nation push to reopen the Strait of Hormuz without restrictions. Diplomatic proposals from Iran for conditional navigation talks remain stalled, with Bahrain refusing participation until ties are restored. Ongoing enforcement of Hormuz restrictions, regional condemnations, and Bahrain's domestic measures against alleged Iranian-linked networks continue to shape escalation risks through late 2026.