Saudi authorities temporarily shut down traffic on the King Fahd Causeway early Tuesday, cutting off the only road connection between Bahrain and the Arabian Peninsula amid growing security concerns tied to recent Iranian threats.
The King Fahd Causeway Authority said the 25-kilometer (15.5-mile) bridge was closed as a “precautionary step,” pointing to potential risks from Iranian attacks targeting Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province, according to a statement posted on X.
Iran warning to potentially destroy the causeway followed U.S. President Donald Trump own deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. He warned that failure to comply by Tuesday evening could lead to strikes on key Iranian infrastructure, including power plants and bridges. Israel also mentioned rail infrastructure as a potential target by warning the Iranian population to take a train.
Causeway closure can turn into a major blow for Gulf Air
The closure severs Bahrain’s main land link to Saudi Arabia at a particularly sensitive time. The island nation hosts the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet, making the causeway a key strategic corridor as tensions escalate across the Gulf. U.S. forces and related infrastructure became targets of the Iranian army which launched missiles and drones toward American military sites across the region. Locations in Bahrain have reportedly been among those targeted in retaliatory strikes.
The closure of the causeway could then be a major blow for Gulf Air which transferred part of its flights to the Saudi airport of Dammam. The airport is close to Bahrain via the Causeway. It takes normally an hour and a half to reach the airport from Bahrain (115 km). Gulf Air currently links Dammam King Fahd International Airport with a dozen destinations.
Since the conflict began on February 28, Iran has repeatedly targeted Gulf states hosting U.S. military bases in retaliation for joint U.S.-Israeli airstrikes, with some strikes causing damage to civilian infrastructure.
Later on Tuesday, authorities reopen the Causeway although the situation remains unpredictable for now.
