In Bahrain, state forces have launched what appears to be a vicious assault on protesters in the capital, Manama. Earlier today, troops backed by tanks and helicopters stormed the Pearl Roundabout, the epicenter of protests over the last month. At least two protesters were reportedly killed and hundreds wounded after Bahraini forces attacked them from all sides and fired tear gas into the crowds. Some witnesses reported firing from U.S.-supplied Apache helicopters. The attack comes one day after the Bahraini government declared a state of emergency. Well over a thousand Saudi and United Arab Emirate troops have entered Bahrain to support the ruling monarchy. It is unclear if any foreign soldiers were involved in today’s violence. Bahrain is a key U.S. ally in the Middle East. On a visit to Egypt just hours before the attack, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called for restraint “on all sides.”

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton: “We call for common restraint on all sides in Bahrain. We’re particularly concerned about increasing reports of provocative acts and sectarian violence by all groups. The use of force and violence from any source will only worsen the situation and create a much more difficult environment in which to arrive at a political solution.”