Bahrain condemns Iranian drone attack it says breached ceasefire

Bahrain condemned an Iranian drone attack targeting its territory early on Saturday, accusing Tehran of violating its sovereignty and breaching the US-Iran memorandum of understanding reached this month.

The statement came hours after the United States said it had struck Iranian missile, drone and radar sites in southern Iran in response to what it described as an Iranian drone attack on the Singapore-flagged container ship Ever Lovely in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran, in turn, said it had retaliated by striking US-linked targets and accused Washington of violating the memorandum of understanding.

In a statement, Bahrain's foreign ministry said "a number of Iranian drones" had targeted the kingdom in a "flagrant violation" of its sovereignty, threatening the security of citizens and residents.

It said Iran alone bore responsibility for "undermining peace efforts" and accused Tehran of pursuing a policy of destabilizing regional security.

Bahrain said the attack violated the June Islamabad memorandum of understanding, under which Iran had committed to a permanent halt to military operations and to respect the sovereignty of regional states.

It said it reserved its full right under international law to defend its sovereignty, security and stability, and called on the UN Security Council to ensure implementation of its resolution and hold "the aggressor" accountable.