Reuters: UK Opens Permanent Military Base in Bahrain
2018-04-06 - 7:16 p
Bahrain Mirror- Reuters: The United Kingdom opened a permanent military base in Bahrain on Thursday, Bahrain's state news agency BNA reported.
The ceremony formally opening the UK Naval Support Facility was attended by Bahraini Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa and Britain's Prince Andrew.
Britain announced in 2014 it had sealed a deal to expand and reinforce its naval presence in Bahrain, allowing it to operate more and bigger ships in the Gulf.
The U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet is also based in Bahrain.
The Gulf is a major trade route for oil tankers, its waters shared by Sunni Muslim Arab states and their Shi'ite rival Iran.
Iran and Saudi Arabia support opposite sides in conflicts in Syria, Iraq and Yemen. Bahrain is a close ally of Britain, the United States and Saudi Arabia.
Last year, U.S. Navy commanders accused Iran of jeopardizing international navigation by harassing warships passing through the Strait of Hormuz and said future incidents could result in miscalculation and lead to an armed clash. Iran denied the accusations.
- 2024-07-10Bahraini Authorities Summon Head of Sanabis Ma'tam, Threaten "Actions" Due to Mourners' Chants Against Israeli Occupation
- 2024-07-10Political Prisoner Mohammad Al-Raml's Family Say He's Vomiting Blood Due to Poor Conditions, Fear for His Life
- 2024-07-09Ali Al-Majed Arrested After His Return to Bahrain
- 2024-07-08Yusuf Al-Muhafdha: Convicted Returnees to Bahrain Have the Right to a Lawyer, Retrial, and Legal Guarantees
- 2024-07-08Reciter Mahdi Sahwan: Head of Manama Police Informed Me of Ban on Reciters Traveling to Commemorate Ashura