MANAMA, March 15 (Xinhua) -- Aluminium Bahrain (Alba) announced Sunday that it has started to shut down three primary production lines amid the regional crisis.
Alba, the world's largest single-site aluminum smelter, said the lines represent 19 percent of its total production capacity of 1,623,000 metric tonnes per annum.
The action is designed to optimize the use of existing inventory, prioritize stability, and develop alternatives to reduce near-term supply volatility, the company said.
Alba added that it continues to monitor the situation and will provide updates as needed.
The decision came amid heightened regional tensions after joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran starting from Feb. 28, to which Iran and Iran-aligned groups responded with attacks on Israeli and U.S. interests across the Middle East.
The Bahrain Defence Force said Sunday that it has intercepted 125 missiles and 211 drones since the conflict began. ■
