Bridge Connecting Saudi Arabia, Bahrain Temporarily Closed

The major traffic artery connecting Saudi Arabia and the island nation of Bahrain was temporarily closed as a precaution, authorities said Tuesday, following the issuance of security alerts in the area.

“The movement of vehicles across King Fahd Bridge has been suspended as a precautionary measure,” said the General Authority for King Fahd Causeway in a post online. The King Fahd Causeway is a 25-kilometre (16-mile) series of bridges connecting Saudi Arabia and Bahrain.

The Saudi Defense Ministry said air defenses intercepted and destroyed seven ballistic missiles launched toward the country’s east, with debris falling near energy facilities. Similarly, a drone “coming from Iran” killed a couple in Iraqi Kurdistan after crashing into their home, local authorities reported.

Meanwhile, Israel’s military urged Iranians to refrain from travelling by train until 1730 GMT, in a message on X that appeared to signal upcoming strikes on Iran’s railway network.

“For your safety, we ask you to refrain from using trains or travelling by train throughout the country from now until 9 pm Iran time,” the military wrote on its Persian-language account. “Your presence on trains and near railway tracks puts your life in danger.” (AFP)