JERUSALEM: Defense Minister Israel Katz said Monday that Israel had conducted a “powerful strike” on Iran’s largest petrochemical complex, after Iranian media reported multiple explosions at the site.
The military “just carried out a powerful strike on Iran’s largest petrochemical facility, located in Asaluyeh — a central target responsible for about 50 percent of the country’s petrochemical production,” Katz said in a video statement.
Israel carried out a similar strike on the Mahshahr Petrochemical Special Zone in southwest Khuzestan province on Saturday, a local Iranian official said, adding that five people were killed.
“At this point, the two facilities, which together account for roughly 85 percent of Iran’s petrochemical exports, have been taken out of operation and are no longer functioning,” Katz said.
“This represents a severe economic blow amounting to tens of billions of dollars to the Iranian regime.”
