IRGC claims strikes on UAE and Bahrain metal giants; warns of ‘painful’ infrastructure war

Tehran: Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps issued a chilling "warning" to the West on Thursday, claiming responsibility for a series of targeted strikes against industrial facilities in the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.

The IRGC confirmed it had struck American-linked steel plants in Abu Dhabi and aluminium production facilities in Bahrain. The manoeuvres follow a similar wave of aerial assaults conducted over the previous weekend, signalling a strategic shift toward economic warfare in the ongoing regional conflict.

In a formal communiqué circulated by Iranian state media, the elite military branch characterised the operations as a retaliatory measure intended to deter further strikes against Iran’s own industrial sector.

“These attacks are a warning, and if the attack on Iranian industries is repeated, the next response will be much more painful by attacking the main infrastructure of the occupation regime and the American economic industries in the region,” the IRGC statement read.

Threats to Regional Infrastructure

The latest strikes mark a persistent threat from Tehran to dismantle U.S.-owned or affiliated infrastructure across the Persian Gulf. Since the war erupted on Feb. 28, the IRGC has repeatedly identified energy and manufacturing hubs in neighbouring Gulf states as legitimate targets due to their ties to Washington.

The Revolutionary Guard’s rhetoric specifically targets what it describes as the "occupation regime"—a common reference to Israel—and warns that future escalations will move beyond secondary industrial sites to hit "main infrastructure."

Economic Volatility

The targeting of steel and aluminium sectors in Abu Dhabi and Bahrain has further destabilised an already fragile global market. Analysts suggest that by striking these specific commodities, Tehran aims to drive up production costs for Western firms while demonstrating its reach beyond the Strait of Hormuz.

The United States has yet to release a detailed damage assessment of the facilities, though the IRGC warned that its next phase of operations would be "much more painful" if its demands are not met.