Bahrain is hosting three days of joint military exercises involving the armed forces of Gulf Co-operation Council member states.
The Bahrain Shield drills, starting on Tuesday, aim to strengthen joint military action among GCC countries, facilitate the exchange of expertise and assess the readiness and effectiveness of operations, the Bahrain Defence Force said.
The participation of forces from across the Gulf reflects their commitment to enhancing military co-operation, it said. The exercises also aim to improve combat performance, develop field experience and strengthen forces' ability to plan and carry out joint operations.
The Bahraini military said the drills were also an opportunity to unify military concepts and reinforce frameworks for co-ordination and co-operation among GCC armed forces to address regional security challenges.
The drill comes amid heightened regional tensions and Gulf states' efforts to deepen defence co-operation and collective security capabilities.
Iran has unleashed deadly attacks on Gulf countries, home to several US military bases, in response to US and Israeli attacks, which started on February 28 and killed supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Iran has not only attacked US assets in the region but also civilian facilities such as hotels and airports. Energy infrastructure in the Gulf has also been targeted.
Earlier this month, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it carried out missile and drone strikes against US military bases in Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan.
The most recent Iranian strikes on the Gulf came after US President Donald Trump launched a campaign of 13 successive nights of intensifying bombing that provoked Tehran to fire on American bases in response.
Mr Trump abruptly suspended the campaign at the weekend, saying the US was having “good talks” with Iran and there was a chance of a deal over their conflict, while also warning that American strikes would resume if the negotiations failed to deliver.
The US has said the war aimed to curb Tehran's nuclear and missile programmes and weaken its regional proxies.
In response, Iran has also effectively blocked the Strait of Hormuz by laying sea mines and attacking vessels attempting to cross the waterway, cutting off about one-fifth of global energy supplies, and heightening concerns about inflation and global economic stability.
