Iran could seize Bahraini and Emirati territory if the US “makes any mistakes,” says an analyst on Iranian state TV.
“Iran’s forces are fully prepared,” says Morteza Simiyari on Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting. “If the Americans make any mistake in the region, we will seize the coastlines of Bahrain and the UAE.”
The military has trained for the operation, he says, and seizing the coastlines “is on the agenda of our armed forces.”
If Iran tried such an operation, it would be doing so with almost no air cover or warships.
An Iranian military source told the IRGC-affiliated Tasnim that a new front could be opened in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait if the US tries to open the Strait of Hormuz by force, the opposition Iran International reports.
The Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen attacked international shipping around the Red Sea after the Hamas invasion of Israel on October 7, 2023, and suspended their attacks when the Gaza ceasefire went into effect in October 2025.
Help us report truthfully on social media
As a multimedia journalist, my job is to take the quality, fact-based journalism produced by The Times of Israel newsroom and make it accessible across every platform — from Instagram posts to podcasts to short-form videos.
This is how many, especially young people, consume news these days. But misinformation is rampant on social media. Our team at ToI produces accurate, responsible short-form reporting on Israel and the Jewish world.
If you believe in the importance of factual social media journalism, please consider joining our reader support group, The Times of Israel Community. Your financial support is essential to sustain responsible multimedia reporting.
— Gabriella Jacobs, multimedia journalist
Support our work
Support our work
Already a member? Sign in to stop seeing this
You're a dedicated reader
We’re really pleased that you’ve read X Times of Israel articles in the past month.
That’s why we started the Times of Israel - to provide discerning readers like you with must-read coverage of Israel and the Jewish world.
So now we have a request. Unlike other news outlets, we haven’t put up a paywall. But as the journalism we do is costly, we invite readers for whom The Times of Israel has become important to help support our work by joining The Times of Israel Community.
For as little as $6 a month you can help support our quality journalism while enjoying The Times of Israel AD-FREE, as well as accessing exclusive content available only to Times of Israel Community members.
Thank you,
David Horovitz, Founding Editor of The Times of Israel
Join Our Community
Join Our Community
Already a member? Sign in to stop seeing this
From the Liveblog of
Wednesday, March 25, 2026
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on Google
