Iran Guards say struck Bahrain, UAE aluminium plants

TEHRAN: Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said Sunday they launched missile and drone strikes on aluminium plants in Bahrain and the UAE over the weekend, targeting what they described as industries linked to the US military.

Since the Middle East war erupted at the end of February, Bahrain and other Gulf countries have regularly been targeted by Iranian missile and drone strikes in retaliation for the US-Israeli campaign, now in its second month.

In a statement carried by Iranian state broadcaster IRIB, the Guards said they hit an aluminium facility in the UAE and Aluminium Bahrain’s main plant, calling both sites “industries affiliated with and connected to the US military and aerospace sectors in the region”.

The IRGC said the strikes were retaliation for a US-Israeli attack on Iranian industrial infrastructure launched from bases in Gulf states.

Aluminium Bahrain, one of the world’s largest aluminium producers, said two employees were wounded in an Iranian strike targeting its facility on Saturday.

The company, also known as Alba, said the workers suffered minor injuries.

Alba added that it was assessing the impact on operations and would provide updates when available. It gave no details on damage to the site.

Emirates Global Aluminium said Saturday that an Iranian attack inflicted significant damage on one of its sites in Abu Dhabi and wounded six employees.

On Friday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi vowed a “heavy price for Israeli crimes” after strikes on major steel and nuclear-related facilities inside Iran.