US Shoots Down Two Iranian Drones Headed for Bahrain and Denies Iran's Claim It Destroyed a Radar

United States Central Command said on Friday, November 13, that American forces shot down two Iranian one-way attack drones headed for Bahrain, directly denying Iran's claim earlier in the day that it had destroyed a US early-warning radar in the kingdom. CENTCOM said there were no injuries and no damage.

US Navy destroyer sailing in the Persian Gulf at dawn

In short: US Central Command said on Friday, November 13, 2026, that Iran's Revolutionary Guard launched two one-way attack drones toward Bahrain and that US forces shot both down, with no injuries and no damage. The statement, posted on X, explicitly rejected the Guard's claim that it had destroyed a US early-warning radar in Bahrain. The Associated Press and Reuters reported both accounts and stressed that neither Iran's claim about the radar nor its separate claim about a tanker striking a mine in the Strait of Hormuz could be independently verified.

What CENTCOM said

According to Reuters and the Associated Press, US Central Command said in a statement on Friday that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched two one-way attack drones toward Bahrain and that American forces shot both down before they reached their target. "The IRGC launched two one-way attack drones toward Bahrain and both were shot down by US forces," CENTCOM said, adding that there were no injuries and no damage.

The statement was posted on X on Friday afternoon and was reported by Reuters, the Associated Press and Arab News. It was the first US military response to the Guard's claim, which had been carried by Iranian state media on Friday morning. US Central Command and Bahrain's Information Ministry had not immediately responded to requests for comment when the claim was first reported.

The denial matters because it directly contradicts the Iranian account. Iran said its Aerospace Force had targeted and destroyed a US early-warning radar in Bahrain, while the United States says the attack consisted of two drones that never reached any target. As of Friday afternoon, neither the radar strike nor the tanker explosion had independent confirmation.

What Iran had claimed

Earlier on Friday, Iran's Revolutionary Guard said its Aerospace Force had destroyed a US military early-warning radar in Bahrain, in what it called retaliation for an air attack on a telecommunications tower in the southern Iranian port city of Sirik, in Hormozgan province on the Strait of Hormuz coast. The Guard called the operation a serious warning to the United States to stop what it described as aerial provocations and oil smuggling in the strait, and warned it would respond without limits if attacks were repeated.

Reuters reported that it was the first time since early September that Iran had claimed an attack on American military assets in a Gulf country. The Associated Press reported that the claim could not be independently verified and that neither Washington nor Manama had confirmed it at the time.

The Guard also said a liquefied petroleum gas tanker struck a mine and exploded while passing through the Strait of Hormuz. That account could not be independently verified either, and there was no immediate report of the incident from the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center, which monitors incidents at sea.

Early-warning radar dome at a coastal military base at dusk

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Why Bahrain matters

Bahrain hosts the headquarters of the US Navy's Fifth Fleet at Naval Support Activity in Manama, the command center for American naval operations across the Gulf, the Gulf of Oman and the Red Sea. Its early-warning radar systems are part of the air and missile defense network protecting US forces and shipping lanes in the region, which is why any confirmed strike on a US asset there would be a major escalation.

The confrontation comes in a war that began on February 28, 2026, when US and Israeli strikes on Iran opened the conflict, and has since spread across the region. Iran has launched missile and drone attacks on US bases in Gulf states and sought to restrict shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, through which about a fifth of the world's oil passes. President Donald Trump said on November 9 that the war was effectively over militarily, but the US naval blockade of Iran remains in place, and Trump said on Thursday that the United States no longer needs a deal with Iran. For background, see our earlier report on Iran's claim that it destroyed the US radar in Bahrain.

What to watch next

The key question now is whether either side produces evidence to settle the conflicting accounts, such as satellite imagery or further official statements from Washington or Manama. The United States has said its forces remain ready to act if circumstances change, and Qatar has been mediating between the two sides. For the latest on the Gulf confrontation, follow our live coverage hub as the situation develops.

Frequently Asked Questions

What did CENTCOM say happened over Bahrain?

US Central Command said on Friday, November 13, 2026, that Iran's Revolutionary Guard launched two one-way attack drones toward Bahrain and that US forces shot both down, with no injuries and no damage. The statement was posted on X and reported by Reuters and the Associated Press.

Did Iran really destroy a US radar in Bahrain?

That is what Iran's Revolutionary Guard claimed, but the United States denies it. CENTCOM said the attack consisted of two drones that were shot down, and neither the radar strike nor any damage has been independently verified. No US or Bahraini official has confirmed the Iranian claim.

What did Iran claim in the first place?

Iran's Revolutionary Guard said its Aerospace Force destroyed a US early-warning radar in Bahrain on Friday, November 13, in retaliation for an air attack on a telecommunications tower in Sirik, a port city in Iran's Hormozgan province on the Strait of Hormuz coast.

What about Iran's claim that a tanker hit a mine?

The Guard also said a liquefied petroleum gas tanker struck a mine and exploded in the Strait of Hormuz on Friday. That account could not be independently verified, and the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center had no immediate report of the incident.

Why does Bahrain matter in the US-Iran war?

Bahrain hosts the headquarters of the US Navy's Fifth Fleet at Naval Support Activity in Manama, the command center for American naval operations in the Gulf. Its radar systems are part of the air and missile defense network protecting US forces and Gulf shipping lanes.

What is the wider context of the confrontation?

The war began on February 28, 2026, with US and Israeli strikes on Iran. Iran has attacked US bases in Gulf states and targeted shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, through which about a fifth of the world's oil passes. A US naval blockade of Iran remains in force, and Qatar has been mediating between the two sides.

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