World Events
Iran's Guards Claim a Strike on a US Radar in Bahrain as Washington Says It Shot Down Drones; Brent Holds Near $96
Image: SatyaPrem via Pixabay
The disputed claim came during a fragile lull in the war, adding to supply worries even as oil heads for a second weekly decline.
By Emmanuel Cruz ·
Iran's Revolutionary Guards said on Friday, Nov. 13, that they targeted a U.S. early-warning radar in Bahrain, a claim the U.S. military disputed, adding a new flashpoint to a conflict that has kept oil markets on edge for months. Reuters reported that the U.S. military said its forces shot down two one-way attack drones launched by the Guards toward Bahrain and that no harm was caused; Bahrain had no immediate comment [1].
According to the Guards, the action was retaliation for an air attack on a telecommunications tower in Sirik, a port city in Iran's Hormozgan province, the day before, as carried by Iranian state media [2]. The Guards described the move as a "serious warning to the aggressor enemy" and urged the United States to halt its air attacks, The New Arab reported [2]. Neither the tower attack nor the radar strike was independently confirmed in the reports. In an earlier version of its report, Reuters said there was no immediate comment from the United States or Bahrain [1].
The incident came during what Reuters described as a fragile lull in the fighting. The conflict began on Feb. 28 with U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran and has since spread across the region, Reuters reported, with Iranian missile and drone attacks on U.S. bases in Gulf states, Iranian efforts to restrict shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, and a U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports [1]. The New Arab said President Donald Trump has held off further strikes on Iran at the request of Gulf allies [2].
Shipping risks were part of Friday's news flow as well. The Guards said a liquefied natural gas tanker struck a naval mine in the strait while using what they called an unauthorized and dangerous route, The New Arab reported [2]. Iran's military separately said four oil tankers were hit by explosions after ignoring warnings, though Reuters said it could not immediately verify that account [3]. Reuters also reported that Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis claimed attacks on Saudi energy infrastructure [3].
Oil prices were choppy. Early on Friday, Brent crude fell 28 cents, or 0.29%, to $95.54 a barrel as of 0527 GMT, putting it on track for a 2.9% weekly drop after a 16% fall the previous week, Reuters reported [3]. By morning in New York, the Associated Press said Brent was up 0.8% at $96.63 after Trump said the United States did not "need a deal with Iran" [4]. The AP noted that Brent traded near $72 a barrel in late February, before the war began [4]. In the Reuters report, Trump's remarks and the continuing U.S. blockade eased fears of renewed fighting, while analyst Sugandha Sachdeva of SS WealthStreet said that "any fresh disruption to oil supplies could quickly reignite upward pressure on prices" [3].
The positions of the two sides remain far apart. Iran's Guards frame their actions as responses to U.S. air attacks and to what they call oil smuggling in the Strait of Hormuz, according to The New Arab [2]. Washington, for its part, says it intercepted the drones and that nothing was damaged [1]. Trump has said a deal is not necessary to end the war, Reuters reported, while one analyst quoted in the same report said that stance suggests Washington could rely more on sanctions and oil-shipment restrictions than on further military escalation [3].
Why it matters: the Strait of Hormuz is a key route for global oil and gas supplies, so incidents there and in the Gulf can move crude prices, inflation expectations and, in turn, central bank decisions [1]. Higher energy costs also feed into inflation data and interest-rate expectations. What to watch next: any confirmation or denial of damage in Bahrain, further tanker incidents in the strait, how Gulf allies and Washington respond, and whether Brent holds near $96 when trading resumes on Monday.
Sources:
[1] Reuters (via Yahoo News Singapore), "Iran's Guards say they targeted a US early-warning radar in Bahrain", November 13, 2026. https://sg.news.yahoo.com/irans-guards-targeted-us-early-045737524.html
[2] The New Arab, "Iran says it hit US radar station in Bahrain, diplomats scramble to avert war", November 13, 2026. https://www.newarab.com/news/iran-says-it-hit-us-radar-station-bahrain
[3] Reuters (via Yahoo Finance), "Oil prices set for second weekly decline as Trump sticks with Iran blockade", November 13, 2026. https://finance.yahoo.com/energy/articles/oil-prices-set-second-weekly-054237957.html
[4] The Associated Press (via The Korea Times), "Stocks sway as Wall Street heads for winning week after several turbulent days", November 13, 2026. https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/world/20261114/stocks-sway-as-wall-street-heads-for-winning-week-after-several-turbulent-days
This article was produced with AI assistance. It is for informational purposes only and is not financial advice. StockVolt and its authors may hold positions in securities mentioned.