Bahrain’s foreign minister told the UN Security Council on Thursday that Iran had launched 808 missile and drone attacks on the country since February 28, killing three civilians and injuring 465 others.
Abdullatif bin Rashid al-Zayani said the attacks included 203 ballistic missiles and 605 armed drones, targeting civilian facilities, critical infrastructure and residential areas.
“These attacks deliberately targeted civilian facilities, critical infrastructure and residential areas, resulting in the deaths of three innocent civilians and injuries to 465 others,” he said.
Al-Zayani said the damage disproved Iran’s claim that its attacks were aimed only at military targets, citing an April 5 incident in which an Iranian drone struck an ammonia storage tank in a densely populated residential area.
“Had it not been for precautionary measures and the decision to empty the tank beforehand, the release of toxic ammonia gas could have caused a catastrophic humanitarian disaster,” he said.
He rejected Iran’s claim that the attacks were a response to another state’s actions, saying: “Bahrain is an independent sovereign nation that is not a party to any conflict.”
Al-Zayani said the attacks violated the UN Charter and Security Council resolution 2817, and were even more concerning because they continued after Iran committed under a memorandum of understanding to a permanent cessation of military operations.
He demanded an immediate and complete halt to the attacks and called on the Council to establish a mechanism to monitor implementation and ensure accountability.
“The credibility of this Council is measured by its ability to protect peaceful nations and deter aggressors,” al-Zayani said, adding: “We are confident that this Council will rise to that responsibility.”
