US, Bahrain probably LIED about Iran drone attack. It was not the only ‘false flag’ – Diego Garcia, Turkey 'missile strikes' could be...

It was a US-operated Patriot missile from the air defence system in a Bahraini US military base that injured dozens of civilians in the early days of the Iran–US–Israel war, not an Iranian drone as reported earlier, claimed a recent report based on open-source analysis. This is being seen in some circles as part of an alleged wider ‘false flag’ operations, in which Iran is being blamed for strikes it did not carry out, in order to enable the regional spread of the conflict, and to drag reluctant European nations and NATO members into it. Such claims are also being made about the alleged Iranian missile strikes targeting Diego Garcia military base and Turkey. The US, Israel, and allies have frequently accused Iran of directing or launching attacks on locations hosting US military assets or supporting anti-Iran operations. Iran has repeatedly denied responsibility for several incidents. Here is a situation analysis:

Key incidents of possible false flag operations: Accusations and Iran’s denials

Missile attacks on Diego Garcia

The accusation: American, British, and Israeli officials recently claimed that Iran launched two intermediate-range or ballistic missiles towards the joint US–UK base, located in the British Indian Ocean Territory. Later, The Wall Street Journal and others reported that one missile failed mid-flight, while another was intercepted by an American warship. Israel framed this ‘unsuccessful’ attack as evidence of Iranian missile capabilities potentially reaching up to 4,000 km, posing a threat to Europe. Notably, this news was reported at a time when Britain and many European nations were reluctant to join the war or open up their military bases to US forces.

Iran’s denial: Soon after, senior Iranian officials said Iran was not responsible for the missile launches. Tehran issued a clear and repeated denial of involvement.

Ballistic missile incidents involving Turkey

The accusations: In mid-March, NATO member Turkey reported multiple interceptions of Iranian ballistic missiles. It said the missiles were detected over Turkish airspace and the Eastern Mediterranean. Reports at the time said NATO air defence systems were activated amid fears of escalation. Notably, this occurred when NATO was still not directly involved in the war in any military capacity.

Iran’s denial of involvement: Both the Iranian military and Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei denied firing missiles or drones towards Turkey. Iran formally communicated this to Turkey and proposed a joint probe. It also warned of possible Israeli “false flag” operations aimed at damaging Iran–Turkey relations.

Attacks on Bahrain’s US Fifth Fleet base and nearby areas

Accusations against Iran: In the initial days of the war, which began with US–Israeli joint strikes on Iran on 28 February, Bahrain reported that large numbers of missiles and drones from Iran were intercepted. Some incidents caused civilian injuries, fires near refineries, and at least one death in the Bahraini capital of Manama. The US and Gulf allies accused Iran of directly targeting states hosting US military infrastructure.

Iran’s denials, explanations, and open-source analysis: A recent report in Reuters, citing the Middlebury Institute of International Studies, said open-source research concluded “with moderate-to-high confidence” that at least one of the missiles was likely launched from a US Patriot battery located about 7 km to the south-west of the impacted neighbourhood, where several injuries were reported. Alongside such research, Iran has frequently denied targeting Bahrain. Its Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said, “We are not attacking our neighbours in the Persian Gulf countries, we are targeting the presence of the US in these countries.” Tehran has framed its actions as strategic responses to US and Israeli military presence, not aggression against Gulf nations or their people.

Perspective: broader geopolitical context of ‘false flag’ operations

Iran has denied initiating the war and rejected claims of pre-emptive attacks on American forces.

Araghchi called US allegations of planned attacks “a sheer and utter lie”. Iran has accused Israel of driving escalation and staging such false flag operations, including in Turkey and Oman.

Across the Gulf region, including the UAE, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar, similar missile and drone incidents have been reported. Even as the US–Israel–Iran conflict has expanded beyond the Middle East, Iran has often denied involvement in several attacks. It maintains that the targets are US military presence, not neighbouring countries, while alleging “false flag” operations by the US and Israel.

Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, US, Gulf nations and non-state actors like Hezbollah, Hamas, Houthis, Islamic State, and others. Claims and counterclaims, disinformation and misinformation are being made online and offline. Given this context, WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos and videos.