Iranian state media reported Wednesday that Israel struck petrochemical facilities in southern Iran, targeting storage tanks, gas installations and refineries in what appeared to be a significant escalation in hostilities.
The semi-official Fars news agency said multiple explosions were heard at the refinery in Asaluyeh, a major energy hub on Iran’s Persian Gulf coast. The London-based opposition outlet Iran International reported the strike occurred at about 2:10 p.m. local time and targeted supply and transmission pipelines.
Israel hits Iran gas sites
Iranian state media also reported a separate strike on a petrochemical facility in South Pars, part of the world’s largest natural gas field, which Iran shares with Qatar. The reports characterized the strikes as part of a joint U.S.-Israeli effort to increase pressure on Tehran, including over the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for global oil shipments.
Shortly after the reports, Iran’s state broadcasting authority issued what it called an urgent warning urging civilians and workers to avoid oil facilities in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar. The statement said the sites had become “direct and legitimate targets” and could be struck within hours.
Fars echoed the warning, citing sources linked to Iran’s military as saying that any attack on Iranian energy infrastructure would prompt retaliation against regional energy facilities serving U.S. and Israeli interests. The agency described the reported strike on Asaluyeh as a shift from limited confrontation to what it called a full-scale economic war.
“It will not go unanswered,” Fars quoted military-linked sources as saying, adding that Iran’s response would target infrastructure previously considered safe.
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Ebrahim Azizi, head of the National Security and Foreign Policy Committee in the Iranian Parliament
The reported strikes followed a claim Tuesday by Iran’s Tasnim news agency, citing the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, that a missile struck near the Bushehr nuclear power plant. Iranian officials said no damage was caused and warned that such actions violate international regulations and could have irreversible consequences for the region, including Gulf states.
U.S. President Donald Trump weighed in shortly after the reported strikes. Writing on his Truth Social platform, he said: “Remember, for all of those absolute ‘fools’ out there, Iran is considered, by everyone, to be the NUMBER ONE STATE SPONSOR OF TERROR. We are rapidly putting them out of business!”
In an earlier post, Trump appeared to reference the Strait of Hormuz, writing: “I wonder what would happen if we ‘finished off’ what’s left of the Iranian Terror State, and let the Countries that use it, we don’t, be responsible for the so called ‘Straight?’ That would get some of our non-responsive ‘Allies’ in gear, and fast!!!”
The Strait of Hormuz is a strategic waterway through which roughly a fifth of the world’s oil supply passes.
There was no immediate comment from Israeli officials on the reported strikes.