Israel says it struck Iran's petrochemical site in Shiraz
Israel claimed the attack targeted a nitric acid facility in Shiraz to disrupt Iranian missile and explosive material production.
The Israeli army said on Tuesday it carried out a strike on a petrochemical complex in the southwestern Iranian city of Shiraz, describing the site as a key facility for producing materials used in explosives and ballistic missiles.
In a statement, the military said the attack took place on Monday and targeted a plant that manufactures nitric acid, which it called a “critical material” used in explosives production and ballistic missile components.
The military claimed that the site was among the last remaining compounds producing such materials in Iran, following previous strikes on major petrochemical facilities, including in Mahshahr.
The army said the operation aimed to “further degrade” Iran’s military capabilities, particularly weapons programmes dependent on materials produced at the site.
On April 4, attacks on the Mahshahr Petrochemical Zone and key utility plants in Khuzestan province disrupted power, gas, and water to over 50 facilities.
In a separate strike on April 6, Iran’s South Pars petrochemical complex in the energy hub of Asaluyeh came under attack.
Israel’s Defence Minister, Israel Katz, said the assault hit key facilities that together make up roughly 85 percent of Iran’s petrochemical export capacity and that those sites “are no longer operational.”
Regional tensions escalated into a full-scale war after Israel and the US launched joint attacks on Iran on February 28.
More than 1,340 people have been killed so far, including children and Iran’s then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Iran has retaliated with drone and missile attacks targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq and Gulf states hosting US military bases, causing casualties, damaging infrastructure and disrupting global markets and aviation.