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Saudi Arabia reopens King Fahd Causeway to Bahrain after Iran threats

Vehicles travel along the King Fahd Causeway linking Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. (Photo via egis-group.com)
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Vehicles travel along the King Fahd Causeway linking Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. (Photo via egis-group.com)
April 07, 2026 08:37 AM GMT+03:00

The King Fahd Causeway, the only road connection between Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, closed for several hours on Tuesday before reopening after a ballistic missile attack from Iran targeted Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province, and Iranian threats raised security concerns along the 25-kilometer route.

The King Fahd Causeway Authority announced the suspension in a post on X, saying vehicle movements had been "suspended as a precautionary measure" due to Iranian attacks targeting Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province.

Saudi authorities did not elaborate on the damage from the ballistic missile strike.

The 25-kilometer (15.5-mile) bridge is Bahrain's sole road link to the Arabian Peninsula. Bahrain's airport has been closed for weeks due to Iranian attacks, making the causeway the island kingdom's only remaining surface connection to the region.

The King Fahd Causeway Authority later announced on X that the bridge had reopened on Tuesday morning.

Strategic link connecting US Fifth Fleet to Gulf routes

The causeway's closure carries added weight given Bahrain's role as the home of the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet, which has shifted from a deterrent force to an active frontline command operating across the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz.

Iranian forces have launched missiles and drones toward U.S. military positions across the Gulf, with locations in Bahrain identified among the targets during retaliatory strikes.

The fleet has shifted from a deterrent force to an active frontline command in the ongoing war, operating across the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz.

While no formal threat against the causeway itself has been made, hard-liners within Iran have increasingly identified it as a possible target, a risk that analysts say would grow significantly if Trump carries out his threatened strikes against bridges inside Iran.

Map shows the King Fahd Causeway linking Al Khobar in Saudi Arabia to Manama in Bahrain across the Gulf. (Image via Google Maps)
Map shows the King Fahd Causeway linking Al Khobar in Saudi Arabia to Manama in Bahrain across the Gulf. (Image via Google Maps)

Iran warns of wider retaliation after Trump's threat

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) pushed back sharply against U.S. President Donald Trump's Tuesday 8 p.m. EDT deadline for Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

IRGC Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters spokesperson Ebrahim Zolfaqari dismissed Trump's remarks as "baseless," framing them as an attempt to justify U.S. military setbacks.

He warned that any renewed attacks on non-civilian targets would trigger a broader and more forceful response.

Since the start of the war on Feb. 28, Iran has continuously targeted Gulf countries hosting U.S. bases in retaliation for U.S.-Israeli airstrikes, causing damage to civilian infrastructure across the region.

April 07, 2026 10:37 AM GMT+03:00
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