Israel hits Iran s largest petrochemical complex after Trump threat

Israel launched an attack on Iran's largest petrochemical complex on Monday, April 6, following threats from US President Donald Trump. Trump had warned that civilian infrastructure would face severe damage if Iran did not reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Reports from the Iranian news agency Fars indicated that several explosions were heard at the South Pars Petrochemical complex located in Assaluyeh. According to Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz, this facility is responsible for around 50 percent of Iran's petrochemical output. The assault targeted companies supplying electricity, water, and oxygen to Assaluyeh, although the Pars petrochemical company itself was reported to be unharmed, according to another local agency, Tasnim. However, the electricity supply to all petrochemical units in Assaluyeh has been interrupted. Earlier, on Saturday, Israel struck the Mahshahr Petrochemical Special Zone in Khuzestan province, resulting in the deaths of five individuals, as stated by a local Iranian official. Katz mentioned that these two facilities, which together constitute approximately 85 percent of Iran’s petrochemical exports, are now non-operational. He described the strikes as a serious economic setback for the Iranian regime, estimating losses in the tens of billions of dollars. The National Petrochemical Company announced on Monday that a fire at the Pars site had been controlled, and no injuries were reported, as per information released by state media.