Israel strikes Iranian oil facility near Tehran

Israel struck an oil storage facility south of Tehran on Saturday, killing four people. The attack marked the first time a civilian oil installation in Iran has been targeted since the United States and Israel launched strikes on the country on Feb. 28, The Washington Post reported. Some analysts say the campaign, which had largely focused on military assets such as missile and nuclear facilities, may now be expanding to energy infrastructure widely viewed as the backbone of Iran’s economy.

According to The Times of Israel and other outlets, the Israeli Air Force carried out airstrikes on four oil storage depots and an oil transportation center in Tehran. An energy complex supplying power to Iranian military facilities was also hit. The strikes sent massive flames and thick smoke billowing into the sky, blanketing parts of the capital. Keramat Beheshtkarami, head of the National Iranian Oil Products Distribution Co., said the facilities sustained damage but the fires had been extinguished and the country still held sufficient oil reserves.

Iran condemned Israel, stressing that the targeted sites were civilian infrastructure. In response, Tehran launched strikes on a refinery in Haifa, a major city in northern Israel. Analysts warn that if attacks on energy facilities continue to widen, global oil prices, already climbing sharply, could face further instability. Since the conflict erupted, Iran has launched airstrikes on energy installations in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar. Tehran has also moved to blockade the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical routes for crude oil shipments.

Israel also continued large-scale airstrikes on Beirut, the Lebanese capital and a stronghold of Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant group. Until now, Israeli forces had concentrated their strikes on Beirut’s southern outskirts, but the latest attacks also struck districts in the city center. Local media reported that it was the first time during the current war that Israel had bombed central Beirut. Israel said the strike was a precision operation targeting commanders of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Israeli authorities are also preparing for a large-scale ground deployment into Lebanon.

Meanwhile, Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, claimed on X on Saturday that several U.S. soldiers had been captured. He did not provide details on the number of prisoners or the circumstances of their capture. Larijani added that while the United States claims the soldiers were killed in action, the truth cannot remain hidden for long.

Tim Hawkins, a spokesperson for U.S. Central Command, rejected the claim, saying the Iranian regime is using every means to spread falsehoods and mislead the public.


Keun-Hyung Yoo noel@donga.com