diff --git a/.release-please-manifest.json b/.release-please-manifest.json
index 342eec6d0838..3b2f5b4c2daa 100644
--- a/.release-please-manifest.json
+++ b/.release-please-manifest.json
@@ -279,7 +279,7 @@
   "google-cloud-contact_center_insights-v1+FILLER": "0.0.0",
   "google-cloud-container": "2.1.0",
   "google-cloud-container+FILLER": "0.0.0",
-  "google-cloud-container-v1": "1.15.0",
+  "google-cloud-container-v1": "1.16.0",
   "google-cloud-container-v1+FILLER": "0.0.0",
   "google-cloud-container-v1beta1": "0.55.0",
   "google-cloud-container-v1beta1+FILLER": "0.0.0",
diff --git a/google-cloud-container-v1/CHANGELOG.md b/google-cloud-container-v1/CHANGELOG.md
index 7250869cf81e..b6146a39168e 100644
--- a/google-cloud-container-v1/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/google-cloud-container-v1/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,11 @@
 # Release History
 
+### 1.16.0 (2026-06-02)
+
+#### Features
+
+* add custom node image configuration ([#33996](https://github.com/googleapis/google-cloud-ruby/issues/33996)) 
+
 ### 1.15.0 (2026-05-18)
 
 #### Features
diff --git a/google-cloud-container-v1/lib/google/cloud/container/v1/version.rb b/google-cloud-container-v1/lib/google/cloud/container/v1/version.rb
index 55901effd944..517839dc20b8 100644
--- a/google-cloud-container-v1/lib/google/cloud/container/v1/version.rb
+++ b/google-cloud-container-v1/lib/google/cloud/container/v1/version.rb
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ module Google
   module Cloud
     module Container
       module V1
-        VERSION = "1.15.0"
+        VERSION = "1.16.0"
       end
     end
   end
diff --git a/google-cloud-container-v1/snippets/snippet_metadata_google.container.v1.json b/google-cloud-container-v1/snippets/snippet_metadata_google.container.v1.json
index 1156aea0d0c5..b5ad7baa6372 100644
--- a/google-cloud-container-v1/snippets/snippet_metadata_google.container.v1.json
+++ b/google-cloud-container-v1/snippets/snippet_metadata_google.container.v1.json
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 {
   "client_library": {
     "name": "google-cloud-container-v1",
-    "version": "1.15.0",
+    "version": "1.16.0",
     "language": "RUBY",
     "apis": [
       {