Bahrain defended itself: British envoy

TDT | Manama

Email: mail@newsofbahrain.com

The United Kingdom’s Ambassador to Bahrain Alastair Long has praised the Kingdom’s handling of the recent Iranian attacks, saying Bahrain’s defence forces and authorities managed the crisis with “extraordinary” efficiency while giving confidence to both citizens and expatriates during one of the region’s most tense periods.

Speaking during a question-and-answer session with Al Ayam, the envoy revealed that the British Embassy did not advise UK nationals to leave Bahrain during the attacks, unlike some Western missions elsewhere in the region. Instead, British citizens were encouraged to follow official Bahraini guidance and remain calm.

“Absolutely. It completely reflected the confidence that we had in the Bahraini authorities,” the ambassador said.

He explained that the embassy advised residents to shelter in place if necessary and follow local instructions, while also reminding them that the King Fahd Causeway remained open for those wishing to leave the Kingdom.

The ambassador said Bahrain’s response reassured not only diplomats but also the many British nationals living on the island.

“I felt able to tell British people in Bahrain to remain calm and confident because Bahrain was doing an incredible job in the face of an extraordinary and shocking attack,” he said.

The envoy added that he had posted video updates during the crisis to reassure British residents, but later realised many Bahrainis were also watching the videos and drawing comfort from the remarks of a foreign diplomat praising the Kingdom’s response.

“uncharted”

He described the Bahrain Defence Forces’ actions during the attacks as “uncharted”, noting reports that more than 700 incoming projectiles had been intercepted.

“For the Bahrain Defence Forces to have managed to remove that threat is something extraordinary,” he said. “The UK has never faced that sort of aggression.”

The ambassador stressed that Bahrain itself carried the overwhelming responsibility for defending the Kingdom, while allies such as the UK played a supporting role.

“The absolute lion’s share of Bahrain’s defence was done by its own Defence Forces,” he said. “The Bahraini people should be enormously proud.”

According to the envoy, British support included RAF Typhoon patrols over Bahrain and assistance with counter-projectile operations. “We tried to be there for our friend in their time of need,” he said, while underlining that “Bahrain defended Bahrain”.

On wider regional security, the ambassador reaffirmed Britain’s commitment to Bahrain and the Gulf, saying the UK would always stand by its allies in the region. He also warned against threats to freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, describing free passage through international waters as a fundamental global principle that “cannot be damaged”.