Bahrain Arrests 41 Amid Regional Tensions as U.S.-Iran Ceasefire Holds Following American Strikes on Iranian Tankers

Bahrain arrested 41 people on Saturday whom authorities alleged were part of a group affiliated with Iran’s Revolutionary Guard. Bahrain’s interior ministry said investigations into the 41 arrested people were ongoing. The arrests came one day after the United States struck two Iranian oil tankers.

U.S. military said. U.S. military thwarted attacks on three Navy ships.

It also struck Iranian military facilities in the Strait of Hormuz. A tenuous ceasefire appeared to be holding on Saturday. U.S. and Israel against Iran began on February 28. Iran has mostly blocked the Strait of Hormuz since February 28.

U.S. has imposed its own blockade of Iran’s ports. U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet. The country is led by a Sunni Muslim monarchy and has a majority Shiite population.

““Siding with the U.S.-backed resolution will bring severe consequences. The Strait of Hormuz is a vital lifeline; do not risk closing it on yourselves FOREVER.””

“— Ebrahim Azizi, head of the national security commission of Iran’s parliament Ebrahim Azizi made the statement on social media. Britain is deploying the warship HMS Dragon to the Middle East, according to Britain’s defense ministry. HMS Dragon will preposition in the region to join a U.K.- and French-led security plan once hostilities end. France is moving its aircraft carrier strike group into the Red Sea. Britain and France have led meetings involving several dozen countries on a coalition to reestablish freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. The coalition effort is intended to begin only after a sustainable ceasefire is in place. On Friday, Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said the country was not paying attention to “deadlines.” Mazaher Hosseini said Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei was in “complete health” and eventually would appear in public. Mazaher Hosseini said Mojtaba Khamenei had suffered knee and back injuries in the war’s opening attacks but they’ve largely healed. Mazaher Hosseini is affiliated with the office of Iran’s former Supreme Leader. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said his country has been in contact with the U.S. and Iran “day and night” in an effort to extend the ceasefire and reach a peace deal. Russia’s foreign ministry said it and Saudi Arabia were calling for diplomatic efforts to reach a “sustainable, long-term agreement” to end the war. Egyptian and Qatari top diplomats reiterated that diplomacy is the sole path to a solution during a phone call on Saturday. President Donald Trump has insisted the ceasefire is holding. President Donald Trump has reiterated threats to resume full-scale bombing if Iran doesn’t accept an agreement. @FortuneMagazine reported these developments as Washington awaited Iran’s response to its latest proposal for a deal to end the war, reopen the Strait of Hormuz to shipping and roll back Tehran’s disputed nuclear program.”