A large-scale evacuation of civilian aircraft took place in Bahrain on March 10, 2026. According to multiple sources, at least 21 commercial aircraft were moved out of Bahrain International Airport (BAH) in what appears to be a coordinated move.
Of these, 12 were operated by Bahrain’s flag carrier Gulf Air. Also involved were one Air India Express airliner and several freighters (Bahrain is a regional base for logistics firm DHL).
The destination for most of these aircraft was reportedly Al-Ula International Airport (ULH), in northwestern Saudi Arabia.
Bahrain, which hosts several United States military facilities in its territory, has found itself on the front line of the conflict between the US-Israel and the Islamic Republic of Iran. The small island Kingdom has been targeted on multiple occasions by Iranian missiles and drones, with several buildings in its capital, Manama, reportedly having been hit in the first days of the conflict.
Gulf Air has also repositioned part of its fleet to Dammam International Airport (DMM), in the neighboring region of Saudi Arabia, from where it has operated a limited number of repatriation services to London Heathrow (LHR), Mumbai (BOM) and Bangkok (BKK). Some Gulf Air aircraft have also been operating out of King Khalid International Airport (RUH), in Riyadh.
According to ch-aviation data, as of March 2026, Gulf Air operates a fleet of 45 aircraft, made of a mix of Airbus A320 family and Boeing 787 jets.