Iranian Drone Strike Damages Crowne Plaza Hotel in Manama

March 1, 2026

An Iranian-launched drone struck near or at the Crowne Plaza Hotel Manama in the Bahraini capital Manama late on Saturday amid mounting military escalation in the Middle East involving Iran, the United States and Israel. Initial reports and aerial footage circulating online show smoke rising from the area after the impact, though authorities have not released detailed casualty figures as of now.

The hotel is located in the Seef district, close to residential and commercial towers, and witnesses reported seeing flames and smoke following the explosion.

Context of the Attack

The strike in Bahrain forms part of a wider wave of retaliatory attacks by Tehran after a major Israeli-U.S. air operation against Iranian targets earlier in the week. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and affiliated forces have claimed responsibility for striking U.S. military bases and allied infrastructure across the Gulf, though many specifics remain unverified and are based on official Iranian announcements and social media reports.

In Bahrain, the target appears linked to the presence of the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet headquarters nearby, which has long been a strategic military hub for American forces in the region.

Damage and Local Response

Local emergency services, including civil defence teams, have been working to control fires and assess structural damage to affected buildings in Manama. Footage from news agencies and social media shows thick smoke rising from the high-rise hit by the drone.

Bahraini authorities have confirmed that residential buildings and other structures in the capital were impacted as Iranian drones and missiles targeted locations across the kingdom. Firefighting and rescue operations continued into the night, although official casualty figures and details on injuries or fatalities have not been immediately released.

Broad Regional Escalation

The attack in Bahrain comes amid a rapid escalation of hostilities in the Gulf, with Iranian drones and missile salvos reportedly launching strikes on U.S. and allied assets in several countries. Reports indicate incidents in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Kuwait alongside the Bahrain strikes, prompting airspace closures and heightened military alerts.

The evolving situation has regional governments and international forces on high alert, with concerns growing over further spillover and civilian risk in densely populated areas.