Bahrain announced it will conduct a joint military exercise with member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). The exercise, named 'Bahrain Shield', will begin on Tuesday and end on Thursday.
A statement from the Bahrain Defence Force said that armed forces from GCC member states will participate in the exercise. The GCC consists of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, and Qatar.
The military build-up was announced against the backdrop of tensions between the US and Iran in the region. Although clashes between the two countries have paused since Friday, a cautious calm prevails.
During the escalation that began on 11 July and lasted 13 days, the US launched attacks on Iran. Tehran, for its part, said it had targeted American military installations and equipment in Arab countries such as Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Jordan.
Regional tensions escalated despite last June's memorandum of understanding between Washington and Tehran to halt hostilities and begin negotiations on a broader deal that would end the war launched by Israel and the US on 28 February.
However, former US President Donald Trump announced on 8 July that the ceasefire was over following attacks on tankers in the Strait of Hormuz. Washington holds Iran responsible for these attacks.
The US demands that Iran halt attacks on vessels and guarantee freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, while Iran insists that the passage of ships through this strategic waterway adjacent to its shores be subject to a mechanism under its own control. This has also raised concerns that oil and natural gas exports from the region could be disrupted.
