Israel's strikes early Saturday destroyed air-defense systems protecting several crucial Iranian oil and petrochemical facilities, while deliberately avoiding damage to the facilities themselves, according to Iranian and Israeli officials speaking to The New York Times.
The targeted sites included defensive installations at the Bandar Imam Khomeini petrochemical complex in Khuzestan Province, the adjacent Bandar Imam Khomeini port, and the Abadan oil refinery. Additional strikes hit air-defense systems in Ilam Province near the Tange Bijar gas field, officials speaking on condition of anonymity confirmed.
The strategic targeting has sparked serious concerns within Iran, as these critical energy and economic hubs now face potential vulnerabilities in future confrontations between the two nations.
"Israel is sending a clear message to us," said Hamid Hosseini, an expert on Iran's oil and gas industry and member of the Iran-Iraq Chamber of Commerce. "This can have very serious economic consequences for Iran, and now that we understand the stakes we need to act wise and not continue the tensions."
Iranian military officials reported that four soldiers working with air defenses were killed in the attacks, with casualties expected to rise. Two of the deceased soldiers were identified as residents of Mahshahr, near the Bandar Imam Khomeini petrochemical complex. According to Israeli officials, initial strike plans developed after Iran's October missile attacks on Israel had included targets connected to Iran's energy industry and nuclear program. However, the United States urged Israel to avoid striking energy, oil, and nuclear facilities directly, fearing such attacks could provoke an escalated Iranian response and potentially trigger a broader regional conflict.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had previously indicated through diplomatic channels that attacks on energy infrastructure would cross a red line, prompting a forceful response. In a letter to the United Nations on Saturday, Araghchi condemned Israel's actions as "unlawful and aggressive" and "against the sovereignty and territorial integrity" of Iran. The Iranian Armed Forces stated that the attacks targeted radar air-defense systems in multiple provinces, causing minor damage. They claimed their defenses successfully neutralized most Israeli missiles and drones, adding that Israeli fighter jets operated from Iraqi airspace without entering Iranian territory.
Israeli officials reported that command-and-control trailers and radar systems were among the targets, with post-strike assessments indicating severe damage to the systems. They emphasized that satellite imagery would confirm their precision in targeting only the air-defense battery at the Imam Khomeini petrochemical complex.
The strikes also disabled four S-300 air-defense systems purchased from Russia, with one previously neutralized in April near Isfahan Province and three more targeted Saturday at Tehran's Imam Khomeini International Airport and the Malad missile base, according to both Iranian and Israeli officials.
