Bombing of Bahrain in World War II facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Italian bombing of Bahrain |
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| Part of World War II | |||||||
 SM.82s similar to those used in the Italian raid on Bahrain |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 Italy |
 Bahrain |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Ettore Muti |
.svg){kind=small} Ibn Saud |
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| Strength | |||||||
| 4 Savoia-Marchetti SM.82. | airplane | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| None | Damage to Bahrain oil facilities Dhahran slightly damaged |
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The bombing of Bahrain happened during World War II. It was when the Italian Royal Air Force attacked British interests. This attack took place in the Middle East. Even though it didn't cause much damage, it made the Allied forces move their limited resources. They had to defend an area they thought was safe.
Why Italy Bombed Bahrain
On June 10, 1940, the Kingdom of Italy declared war. They went to war against France and the United Kingdom. Italy quickly signed a peace agreement with France. This left Italy to fight against Britain and its allies.
In the summer of 1940, Italy's leader, Benito Mussolini, got a new idea. An Italian pilot named Paolo Moci suggested a plan. The plan was to bomb the oil fields in Bahrain. This would stop oil from reaching the British Navy.
The Attack on Bahrain and Dhahran
Early on October 19, 1940, four Italian SM.82 bombers flew a very long way. They attacked oil refineries in Bahrain. These refineries were operated by Americans. The bombers also hit Dhahran in Saudi Arabia. This caused only minor damage there.
The Italian bombers flew about 4,200 kilometers (2,610 miles). This flight lasted 15 hours. It was a record for a bombing mission at that time. The planes took off from the island of Rhodes. Each plane carried 1,500 kilograms (3,310 pounds) of bombs.
The attack was a surprise. The SM.82 planes landed safely in Zula, Eritrea. The Italian planes started their flight from Europe. They attacked targets in Asia. Then they landed back in Africa.
During the attack, 132 bombs were dropped. Each bomb weighed 15 kilograms. They caused heavy damage to two refineries. This raid worried the Allies. It forced them to improve their defenses. This was a bigger impact than the actual damage caused. It made the Allies spread their military resources even thinner.
Ettore Muti, a leader in Italy's Fascist Party, was part of this raid. He also took part in other bombings.
This long-distance raid showed what Italian planes could do. There were other long-distance Italian raids later. These included attacks on Ethiopia and Eritrea in 1942. There were even plans for a raid on New York City in 1943. However, that plan never happened.
See also
- Italian bombing of Mandatory Palestine in World War II
- Italian Royal Air Force (Regia Aeronautica)
