The bombing of Bahrain in World War II was part of an effort by the Italian Royal Air Force (Regia Aeronautica) to strike at the British interests wherever possible in the Middle East.
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On 10 June 1940, the Kingdom of Italy declared war on the French Republic and the United Kingdom. During the Battle for France, the French had already been beaten by the Germans by the time Italy joined the war. The Italian invasion of France was short-lived and the French signed an armistice with the Italians on 25 June. This left the British and the forces of the Commonwealth of Nations for the Italians to contend with in the Middle East.
Early on October 19, 1940, four Italian SM.82 bombers attacked American-operated oil refineries in the British Protectorate of Bahrain.[1] The raid, which also struck Dhahran in Saudi Arabia, caused little damage.[1]
Rome declared that their bombers had set a new distance record, covering 3,000 miles on the outgoing trip from bases in occupied Rhodes. The Italians insisted that the planes had been refueled from submarine tankers[2] though in actuality, the planes had simply been loaded with fuel.[1]
Ettore Muti, Party Secretary of the National Fascist Party, was later indicated to be a participant in this raid and in at least one of the bombings of Haifa.[3]