Bahrain reportedly arrests five over espionage for Iran

Bahrain’s government have reportedly arrested five individuals accused of collecting and transmitting sensitive intelligence to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

According to sources, a sixth suspect has also been identified but is currently outside the country and remains at large.

In a separate development, Aluminium Bahrain (Alba), the world’s largest single-site aluminium smelter, has begun a controlled shutdown of its Reduction Lines 1, 2, and 3. The shutdown affects around 19% of the company’s annual production capacity of 1.62 million tons.

The decision comes as ongoing maritime disruptions and reduced tanker traffic near the Strait of Hormuz continue to strain regional supply chains, pushing freight rates to record levels.

Israel behind regional attacks

 Iran has offered to form an international investigative committee to examine recent attacks on countries in the Middle East, signaling a push for greater regional accountability, according to Abbas Araghchi, the country’s Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Speaking to reporters, Araghchi suggested that Israel may be behind attacks on civilian targets in Arab nations, reiterating that Tehran has not targeted any civilian or residential areas in Gulf countries. He also raised concerns over the possible involvement of US-made drones in recent strikes on regional targets.