Bahrain Financial News

By Rachna Uppal and Federico Maccioni

Saudi doctor saw his fortune close in on $12 billion on Thursday as shares of his healthcare firm rebounded, returning him to the ranks of the Middle East’s wealthiest private individuals. Shares in Sulaiman Al Habib’s eponymous company have surged 30% since hitting a one-year low in October. That’s made Al Habib — who founded the firm and holds a 40% stake — the third-richest person in the Middle East who’s not a member of a royal family, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.

Houthi militant attacks that followed the commencement of the Israel-Hamas conflict have not been stopped despite numerous rounds of retaliatory strikes by the US and its allies as well as a multinational naval operation to patrol the waters. Here are top 10 updates on Houthis-Red Sea attack 1) The United States has carried out airstrikes in Iraq targeting facilities used by "Iranian-backed militias" in the country following repeated attacks on US forces, Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement on Tuesday (local time).

British forces carried out a fresh round of strikes on Monday in Yemen, targeting a Houthi underground storage site as well as missile and surveillance capabilities used by the Iran-aligned group against Red Sea shipping, the Pentagon said. The Houthis, who control the most populous parts of Yemen, have said their attacks are in solidarity with Palestinians as Israel strikes Gaza. The Houthi attacks have disrupted global shipping and stoked fears of global inflation. They have also deepened concern that fallout from the Israel-Hamas war could destabilize the Middle East. In the latest response, U.S.

United Arab Emirates and Bahrain in September 2020. Sudan normalised relations with Israel the following month and Morocco in December 2020. Negotiations between Israel and Saudi Arabia were disrupted by the war between Israel and Hamas which began in October 2023.

Delhi grappled with a severe cold wave today, causing widespread disruptions in air and rail travel. The National Capital woke up to another chilling morning with temperatures recorded in single digits, leading to dense fog and significantly reduced visibility.

By Arathy Somasekhar

statement on January 11 that at his directions, “US military forces — together with the United Kingdom and with support from Australia, Bahrain, Canada, and the Netherlands — successfully conducted strikes against a number of targets in Yemen used by Houthi rebels to endanger freedom of navigation in one of the world’s most vital waterways." After the US launched strikes against Houthi forces, some US lawmakers accused President Joe Biden of violating the Article 1 of the US Constitution. Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal of the Democratic Party called the strikes an "unacceptable violation of the Constitution". Meanwhile, Rep.

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said on Friday that the country's joint air strikes with the US against Houthi military targets in Yemen overnight was a «necessary and proportionate action in self-defence.» The US-led strikes are the first against the Houthi militia since it started targeting international shipping in the Red Sea from November 2023. Sunak accused the Iranian-backed group of threatening UK ships as the US Air Force said more than 60 targets at 16 locations used by Houthis in Yemen were struck.

In a statement, Russia's Permanent Mission to the UN said, «Russia has requested an urgent UN Security Council meeting on January 12 in connection with US and UK strikes on Yemen.» In a statement to TASS, the mission said the meeting was scheduled for 10 am (local time) (3 pm GMT) Russia's decision comes after US military forces, along with the United Kingdom and with support from Australia, Bahrain, Canada, and the Netherlands, carried out strikes against a number of targets used by Houthi rebels in Yemen in the early hours of January 12. UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has said that the Royal Air Force has conducted targeted strikes against military facilities used by Houthi rebels in Yemen, calling it «limited, necessary and proportionate action in self-defence.» Rishi Sunak said the UK will always stand up for «freedom of navigation and the free flow of trade.» He stated that the Houthis, despite the repeated warnings from the international community, continue to conduct attacks in the Red Sea, including against UK and US warships just this week. In a statement, Rishi Sunak said, «Despite the repeated warnings from the international community, the Houthis have continued to carry out attacks in the Red Sea, including against UK and US warships just this week.» «This cannot stand.

Houthi military positions in Yemen Thursday night in a massive “direct response” to escalating attacks on vessels in the Red Sea, U.S. President Joe Biden confirmed.The move marks a dramatic escalation of a simmering regional conflict in the Middle East sparked by Hamas’ deadly attack on Israel last October and Israel’s responsive offensive on Gaza.Canada joined Australia, Bahrain and the Netherlands in providing support for the strikes, but the extent of that support was not immediately clear.“These targeted strikes are a clear message that the United States and our partners will not tolerate attacks on our personnel or allow hostile actors to imperil freedom of navigation in one of the world’s most critical commercial routes,” Biden said in a statement provided by the White House.“I will not hesitate to direct further measures to protect our people and the free flow of international commerce as necessary.”The strikes targeted Houthi-connected facilities storing the rebel group’s combat drones and ballistic and anti-ship missiles, as well as air defence systems and logistical hubs in Yemen, U.S.

Yemen over recent attacks on Red Sea shipping were «necessary and proportionate», UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said. «Despite the repeated warnings from the international community, the Houthis have continued to carry out attacks in the Red Sea,» Sunak said in a statement. «We have therefore taken limited, necessary and proportionate action in self-defence, alongside the United States… to degrade Houthi military capabilities and protect global shipping,» he said. Sunak's statement followed comments by US President Joe Biden about the strikes carried out against the Houthis, who control wide areas of Yemen. Biden described the joint strikes as «defensive» and warned of further measures if the Iran-backed rebels kept attacking Red Sea shipping. He said Australia, Bahrain, Canada and the Netherlands had also provided non-operational support. The Houthis have stepped up attacks in recent weeks on shipping in the Red Sea, a vital waterway through which 12 percent of world trade flows. Houthi television channel Al-Massirah said the air strikes hit the capital Sanaa as well as the cities of Hodeida and Saada. US and British forces this week shot down 18 drones and three missiles fired by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea in what Washington called a «complex Iranian-designed» attack. UK Defence Secretary Grant Shapps said on social media platform X that four Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter jets had taken part in Friday's strikes against Houthi targets alongside US forces. Sunak described the Houthis' actions as «irresponsible» and «destabilising» and said their attacks were «driving up commodity prices». «This cannot stand.

By Sudarshan Varadhan

Houthi movement in Yemen, four U.S. officials told Reuters on Thursday, the first strikes against the Iran-backed group since it started targeting international shipping in the Red Sea late last year. A Houthi official confirmed «raids» across the country, including in the capital Sanaa along with the cities of Saada and Dhamar as well as in Hodeidah governate, calling them «American-Zionist-British aggression.»

The top commander of U.S. naval forces in the Middle East says Iranian-backed Houthi rebels are showing no signs of ending their “reckless” attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea

commercial ships in the Red Sea, the top commander of US naval forces in the Middle East says, even as more nations join the international maritime mission to protect vessels in the vital waterway and trade traffic begins to pick up. Since Operation Prosperity Guardian was announced just over 10 days ago, 1,200 merchant ships have traveled through the Red Sea region, and none had been hit by drone or missile strikes, Vice Adm. Brad Cooper said in an Associated Press interview, although the US military said that one ship reported being struck by a missile late Saturday.

By Phil Stewart

Red Sea and Gulf of Aden to try to safeguard commercial shipping against attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels, who say they are supporting Palestinians under siege by Israel in the Gaza Strip. A statement on Tuesday by U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, on a visit to Bahrain, identified several countries taking part in an international force.

Kuwait's emir Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, who was defence minister when Iraq invaded the oil-rich country in 1990, was laid to rest Sunday in a low-key funeral, a day after he died aged 86. Foreign leaders and envoys were later due to pay their final respects, including the Saudi de facto ruler, the kings of Bahrain and Jordan, and US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.

commerce ministry is working to address issues related to non-tariff barriers and market access for domestic products in sub-Saharan African countries like Nigeria, Ethiopia, Ghana and Gulf nations to boost India's exports, an official said. The official said meetings have been held with Indian missions of the sub-Saharan African countries with which India has significant bilateral trade. The major trading partners of India in that region in 2022-23 were South Africa (total trade USD 18.9 billion, exports USD 8.5 billion); Nigeria (USD 11.85 billion, exports USD 5.15 billion); Togo (USD 6.6 billion, exports USD 6 billion), and Tanzania (USD 6.5 billion, exports USD 3.93 billion). The other countries were Mozambique (USD 5 billion, exports USD 2.5 billion); Angola (USD 4.22 billion, exports USD 621 million); and Kenya (USD 3.4 billion, exports USD 3.2 billion). «A virtual meeting with Indian Mission of top 10 countries (bilateral trade-wise) in sub-Saharan African region was held in September to discuss the overall economic and commercial relations with those countries, export performance and non-tariff barriers which are acting as impediments to bilateral trade and enhance exports,» the official said. A similar meeting was also held with Indian Missions in GCC countries. GCC is a union of six countries in the Gulf region — Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, and Bahrain.

By Ateeq Shariff