Qatar, Bahrain close cultural sites amid Iran-U.S. strikes

Qatar and Bahrain have closed their cultural sites amid Iran retaliation on U.S. military installations across the Middle East in response to earlier strikes by the United States and Israel.

"All museums, galleries, heritage sites and creative hubs are closed today until further notice," Qatar Museums, the umbrella institution for the country's national museums, said in a statement.

"The safety and wellbeing of our visitors and staff remain our highest priority. Updates will be shared across our official channels.."

Bahrain's Authority for Culture and Antiquities earlier announced it had closed its cultural sites.

"We would like to inform you that all sites of the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities will be temporarily closed," Bahrain's Authority for Culture and Antiquities said in a statement.

In Jerusalem, the Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate said the Church of the Holy Sepulchre was temporarily closed and official processions were canceled, with prayers limited to clergy inside the church.

President Donald Trump announced the strikes against Iran early Saturday morning in a video message posted to his Truth Social platform.

“The United States military is undertaking a massive and ongoing operation to prevent this very wicked, radical dictatorship from threatening America and our core national security interests,” Trump said. “We are going to destroy their missiles and raze their missile industry to the ground.”

The Israeli Defense Forces said in a statement on social media that it had struck "hundreds of targets in western Iran as part of Operation Roaring Lion."

In its strikes, Israel hit an elementary girls’ school in the city of Minab in southern Iran, killing at least 40 people, according to the Iranian state media agency IRNA.

Iran has since retaliated, targetting American installations in Qatar, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Iraq.

"They can never have a nuclear weapon," Trump said. "Let me say it again, they can never have a nuclear weapon."

Update: This article was updated at 9:43 a.m. on February 28, 2026, to include comments from Qatar Museums.

Update: This article was updated at 12:38 p.m. on February 28, 2026, to include comments from the Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate.

This is a developing story. Please check back for further updates.