The Islamic regime’s killing of civilians in drone strikes on Bahrain and Saudi Arabia may constitute a war crime, Amnesty International said on Thursday, publishing new evidence detailing the deaths and serious injuries caused by the attacks.
At least 28 people were killed and hundreds were injured after Iran launched unprovoked attacks on GCC countries, though information on said attacks was largely restricted by those states. Despite the strict legislation in place, Amnesty shared that it was able to investigate two attacks by the regime in March, which collectively killed four civilians and wounded at least 12.
The researchers concluded that the Islamic regime likely used Shahed drones in the attack, a relatively cheap weapon able to travel 2,000km at low altitudes. These low-altitude flights have largely enabled the bypassing of a number of air defense systems.
Researchers found that between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m. on March 2, two drones were spotted near the MT Stena Imperative oil tanker while it was still in dry dock undergoing repairs at the Arab Shipbuilding and Repair Yard (ASRY) in Al Hidd, Bahrain. SM Tareq, a Bangladeshi employee of ASRY, was killed, and two other workers were injured.
A worker who witnessed Tareq’s death told the NGO, “I saw one of my friends on fire, and he had his brain coming out of his head.”
Family members had reported that Tareq had grown fearful of the attacks before his death and had asked his loved ones to pray for his safety.
“The conflict in the Middle East has had a devastating impact on civilians, with thousands killed and injured across the region. Civilians are paying with their lives in attacks by Iran that must be investigated as war crimes,” said Heba Morayef, Amnesty International’s Middle East and North Africa Regional Director. “Iranian authorities must immediately stop targeting civilian infrastructure. Those responsible must be held accountable, and victims have the right to justice, truth, and reparations.”
Swedish civilian tanker attacks by Iran
The Stena Imperative is a civilian tanker owned by the Swedish company Stena Bulk. Media reports suggest that the IRGC attempted to strike and seize the ship in February 2026 after it had been contracted by the US Maritime Administration’s Tanker Security Program to move fuel. However, at the time it was docked, Amnesty said it was a civilian object in a civilian repair yard.
It is prohibited by international law to directly attack civilians and civilian objects.
Less than a week after the attack on Bahrain, on March 8, Iran struck a labor camp in Al Kharj, Saudi Arabia, at approximately 4 p.m. The attack took the lives of three civilian men and wounded 10 more, with some needing months to recover in the hospital.
The victims of the regime attack were civilian workers of the Al Twaik cleaning company, who were providing general janitor services.
Witness reports, photos, videos indicate Iran’s responsibility for attack
Six witnesses, family members of the victims, and 26 photos and videos of the attack’s aftermath led Amnesty to the conclusion that either Iran or one of its proxies launched a Shahed drone.
One witness told Amnesty International: “One worker, the blast turned him into pieces, and I could smell him burning. The second worker had his legs broken, and something pierced his head. The third was screaming, ‘Save me’. Three of them died: two died on the spot, and one was taken to hospital and died there.”
The three Bangladeshi citizens, Musharaff Hussain, 42, and Abdullah Mamun, and Bachchu Mia, 35 years, were killed were preparing to break their fast during Ramadan when they were killed.
All the witnesses said no military forces, either US or Saudi, were ever in the labor camp prior to the attack, though the IRGC claimed it had targeted a radar system on site. It is likely the regime was targeting the Prince Sultan Air Base, around 15km away from the site.
