Israel has attacked a key petrochemical plant at Iran’s South Pars natural gas field, responsible for roughly half of Iran’s petrochemical output, according to several news agencies. Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz confirmed the strike, calling it “a powerful strike on the largest petrochemical facility in Iran.”
Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani, Israel’s military spokesperson, warned there would be “no immunity” for Iran as ceasefire talks with the United States continue. The South Pars field, shared with Qatar, is the world’s largest natural gas field and lies beneath the Persian Gulf.
Explosions and casualties
The Fars news agency reported “several explosions” at the plant in Asaluyeh. Explosions and low-flying jets were also reported over Tehran, with thick black smoke rising near Azadi Square after one strike hit the Sharif University of Technology.
Among the dead was Maj Gen Majid Khademi, head of intelligence for Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guards. Israel also claimed responsibility for killing Asghar Bakeri, leader of the Revolutionary Guard’s undercover Quds Force unit.
Iranian retaliation
Iranian missiles targeted northern Israel, hitting Haifa, where four people were killed in a residential building collapse. Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia activated air defenses to intercept incoming Iranian missiles and drones.
Impact on ceasefire talks and energy markets
The attacks cast doubt on ongoing US–Iran ceasefire negotiations. Trump had previously warned that Israel would avoid striking South Pars again but threatened massive retaliation if Iran continued targeting Qatar’s energy infrastructure.
Iran’s repeated strikes on Gulf energy facilities and control of the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world’s oil passes, have sent global energy prices sharply higher.
Also read: IRGC commander Majid Khademi killed in Israeli strikes
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