Israel attacks large Iranian petrochemical facility

DUBAI— Israel attacked Iran’s South Pars petrochemical complex in the southwestern energy hub of Asaluyeh, Defense Minister Israel Katz said on Monday. The attack targeted the Jam and Damavand petrochemical facilities which are vital parts of Iran’s energy and export network, according to Iran’s state-owned Tasnim news agency. Katz described the sites as “critical assets responsible for around half of Iran’s petrochemical output”. The Asaluyeh strike follows an Israeli military attack last week on petrochemical plants in southwestern Iran’s Khuzestan Province. Katz claimed that combined the two complexes account for roughly 85% of Iran’s petrochemical exports, and that they have been rendered inoperative. He said the strike were “a severe economic blow” that would cost Iran “tens of billions of dollars” in lost petrochemical profits. Israel says those profits are used to fund Iran’s military. Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency has in the last few moments reported that two petrochemical companies have been attacked. — Agencies