[UTC+3] 01:00
The fifteen Westland Commando Mk. 2 helicopters of the Arnhelian Air Force's 1st Air Wing based out of Doha International Airport took off at 01:00 local time. They held a total of just over four hundred Arnhelian Marines. They were headed toward Bahrain at over 140 mph(225 kph), they flew at just 50 feet(15 meters) over the ocean to help them evade targeting by enemy missiles. They were part of Operation Not In My Backyard which would expand the Arnhelian territory into Bahrain. Operation Not In My Backyard was part of a larger operation which would expand Arnhelian influence in the Persian Gulf.
Little resistance was expected from the Bahraini population because of their lack of a military since the collapse of the Eurasian Empire. The only military units in Bahrain were Layartebian units at the Naval Base in Juffair, and these forces would not present a problem unless provoked. Of course, the Layartebian forces in Juffair would not be attacked in any manner, it was a top priority that the naval base not be attacked or harassed in any manner during or after the invasion.
Bahrain International Airport
[UTC+3] 01:45
Bahrain International Airport had experienced much less air traffic since the collapse of the Eurasian Empire, because of this security had become lax. The air traffic controller had fallen asleep at his post, a cup of cold coffee sitting on his desk next to a half-eaten donut. While he was sleeping a group of Westland Commando Mk. 2 aircraft had landed nearby the control tower and a group of about fifteen Special Forces troops had stormed the tower. The men stormed into the control room when the air traffic controller awoke, one soldier pointed his M4A1 Carbine at the stirring air traffic controller, the soldier said in Arabic, "Do not move. We are not terrorists, we are members of the Arnhelian Armed Forces, we are part of an operation to bring peace to Bahrain. It is not our intention to injure or kill anyone, do you understand?"
The man nodded.
The soldier began to speak again, "Now I need you to do as I say, do not let any civilian aircraft land here unless I say so, reroute them to any other airport, secondly, I need to know if you have notified any others of our presence."
The man shook his head.
The soldier turned to the other soldiers and said, "Alpha squad secure the perimeter of the control tower, Bravo squad secure the terminal, and Charlie Squad, set up defensive positions on the roof of the main terminal." He then turned to the Air Traffic Controller, "My name is Sulaiman Naveed, I am a Staff Seargant in the Arnhelian Army. What is your name?"
The man began to speak when automatic gunfire shattered the windows of the control tower.
"Get the fuck down!" Sergeant Naveed said as he dove toward the man, he landed on top of the man on the floor, he began to drag the man behind the desk in the center of the room, the only cover he could find. The man was bleeding from his left thigh, leaving a trail of blood across the room. He began to make a makeshift tourniquet out of the sleeve of his combat uniform to slow the bleeding.