Israel’s Defence Minister, Israel Katz, announced on Monday that Israeli forces had launched a major strike on Iran’s biggest petrochemical facility, following reports of multiple explosions at the site.
According to Katz, the attack focused on a key complex in Asaluyeh, which he described as responsible for nearly half of Iran’s petrochemical production. In a video statement, he said the operation delivered a significant blow to one of the country’s most critical industrial assets.
He added that a similar strike was carried out over the weekend on the Mahshahr Petrochemical Special Economic Zone in southwestern Iran. Local reports indicated that at least five people were killed in that attack.
Katz further claimed that the combined impact of the strikes has shut down facilities responsible for about 85 percent of Iran’s petrochemical exports, dealing what he described as a severe financial setback worth tens of billions of dollars.
The Israeli military had also previously targeted gas infrastructure at the South Pars Special Economic Zone, located in the same region. This area is part of the massive South Pars/North Dome Gas Field, the largest known natural gas reserve globally, jointly shared by Iran and Qatar.
These attacks are part of a broader escalation, with Israel increasingly focusing on Iran’s industrial and economic infrastructure. Last week, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Israeli operations had already destroyed a large portion of Iran’s steel production capacity, a key component in weapons manufacturing.
Katz emphasized that he and Netanyahu have instructed the military to intensify operations targeting Iran’s national infrastructure as the campaign continues.