Iran claims retaliatory strikes on aluminium plants in Bahrain and the UAE

In Bahrain, Aluminium Bahrain, known as Alba, said its facilities were targeted in an attack on Saturday and that two people suffered minor injuries. The company said it was assessing the extent of the damage. In the UAE, Emirates Global Aluminium said its Al Taweelah production base in Abu Dhabi sustained “significant damage” and that a number of employees were injured, though none of the injuries were life threatening.

Iran said the strikes were retaliation for earlier attacks on two Iranian steel plants and alleged that the Gulf facilities had links to US military and aeronautics firms. Those claims have not been independently verified. The attacks mark a further shift toward targeting economic infrastructure as the conflict spreads beyond direct military sites.

The implications could reach far beyond the Gulf. Aluminium producers in the region account for about 9 percent of global supply, and the sector was already under pressure because the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz had disrupted normal export routes. Alba had already shut three smelting lines earlier this month, representing 19 percent of its capacity, while regional logistics problems have continued to tighten global supply.

The UAE facility that was hit is one of the region’s most important production sites. EGA said Al Taweelah produced 1.6 million metric tons of cast metal in 2025 and also hosts an adjacent alumina refinery that produced 2.4 million tons last year. The company had already begun rerouting exports and raw material imports through Oman to reduce dependence on Hormuz.

The aluminium strikes came alongside other attacks across the Gulf. In Oman, authorities said a worker was injured in a drone attack on Salalah port, while Maersk temporarily halted operations there after a security incident damaged a terminal crane and forced an evacuation. Oman later said no party had officially claimed responsibility and that it was investigating the source and motive of the attacks.

Taken together, the attacks show how the war is increasingly hitting civilian industry, shipping, and trade infrastructure across the Gulf, even as diplomatic efforts continue in parallel. The latest strikes also reinforce fears that regional economic assets, not only military targets, are now part of the battlefield.