Iran war hits Gulf aluminum exports, risking nearly 10% of global supplies
The Gulf region is a critical hub for aluminum production, supplying roughly 8% to 9% of global output, with disruptions linked to the war now set to ripple through industrial supply chains.
The US-Israel-Iran war has quickly dented global metals markets, with aluminum supply outages in the Gulf threatening everything from beverage cans to car parts.
The latest blow came on Sunday when Aluminium Bahrain (Alba) revealed it was shutting down 19% of operations at the world's largest single-site aluminum smelter in Bahrain.
The Manama-based metals giant attributed the move to disruptions to shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, highlighting how the conflict’s economic fallout is extending beyond energy markets to key industrial supply chains.
The Gulf region is a critical hub for aluminum production, supplying roughly 8% to 9% of global output — and accounting for nearly 20% of US aluminum imports last year, according to US trade data.
