Iran: Bahraini authorities announced this morning that a network had been uncovered online which was being used to spread information aimed at “inciting sedition, threatening social peace, and destabilizing security in Bahrain.” According to authorities two fugitives have been tied to the network’s creation. Though the fugitives currently reside in Germany and Austria, the network has been accessed from various nations. Currently, activity from the network has been tied back to Iran, Qatar, Iraq, Germany, Austria, and France. It appears that the individuals behind the network have been slowly implementing a systematic plan to harm Bahrain, according to authorities. Bahrain has extremely close ties with the United States and even houses the headquarters for U.S. Naval Forces Central Command and the headquarters for the U.S. 5th Fleet, as well as a number of multinational Joint Task Forces throughout the Arabian Gulf and the Horn of Africa. These close ties with the United States make Bahrain a huge target for Iran during these times of strained relations between Iran and the rest of the world.
Analyst Notes
This will likely not be the last attack on a U.S. ally in the region by Iran either directly or indirectly. Since the 2016 U.S. presidential election misinformation campaigns have been on the rise around the world with more nations joining in.
