Iran says five killed in strikes on petrochemical facilities

TEHRAN, Apr 4: Israeli strikes targeted industrial facilities in the Mahshahr Special Petrochemical Economic Zone in southwestern Iran, leaving several people wounded, according to Iranian state media citing a provincial security official.

The Israeli military confirmed responsibility for the attack on Saturday, alleging the site was involved in producing and exporting chemical materials linked to Iran’s armed forces. It further claimed the facilities were used in the production of materials for explosives, ballistic missiles, and other weapons.

In a video statement posted on X, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the strikes were part of an ongoing campaign against Iran’s military capabilities, claiming that earlier operations had already destroyed a significant portion of its steel production capacity used for weapons manufacturing.

The Israeli military said its air force had struck the petrochemical complex earlier in the day, while Netanyahu vowed to continue military operations, saying: “I promised you that we will continue to crush the terrorist regime in Tehran, and that is exactly what we are doing.”