Israel hits Iran's South Pars petrochemical plant amid Trump's threats

UPDATED: Apr 6, 2026 19:57 IST

Israel struck a major petrochemical facility at Iran’s South Pars natural gas field on Monday. The strike, confirmed by Israeli officials, targeted a key revenue source for Iran.

This comes a day after US President Donald Trump published an expletive-laden post on social media in which he threatened to destroy Iran's power plants and bridges if it failed to meet his Tuesday deadline to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to all shipping. In response, Iran mocked his ultimatum, dismissing it as "helpless, nervous and stupid".

The South Pars field, shared with Qatar and located under the Persian Gulf, is the world’s largest gas reserve and plays a critical role in Iran’s electricity production. The attack unfolded even as diplomatic efforts continued to stabilise the Middle East region.

STRIKES ON ENERGY SITES INTENSIFY

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz described the strike as a powerful blow to Iran’s largest petrochemical facility. "The IDF has now strongly attacked the largest petrochemical facility in Iran located in Asaluyeh," Israel’s Defence minister Katz said.

"Now the two facilities, which together are responsible for about 85 per cent of Iran’s petrochemical exports – have been taken out of service and are not functioning," Katz’s added in a statement.

In a separate development, Iran’s state media reported that the Marvdasht petrochemical complex was also targeted by the United States and Israel, marking the second such incident in 24 hours. Authorities said a fire caused by the strike was brought under control and no major damage was reported.

This now marks a clear shift from an earlier position. After Israel struck South Pars in March, US President Donald Trump had said such an attack would not be repeated.

TOP IRANIAN COMMANDERS KILLED

Alongside infrastructure strikes, Israel said it eliminated key figures within Iran’s Revolutionary Guard. Among those killed was Maj Gen Majid Khademi, identified as the head of intelligence within the paramilitary force.

The Israeli military also claimed it killed Asghar Bakeri, leader of an undercover unit within the Quds Force, accusing him of orchestrating attacks against Israeli and US targets.

Israel Katz signalled that such operations would continue, warning: "Iran’s leaders live with a sense of being targeted. We will continue to hunt them down one by one."

CEASEFIRE PUSH FACES UNCERTAINTY

The escalation comes at a delicate moment, with mediators from Egypt, Pakistan and Turkey working to broker a 45-day ceasefire that would also include reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

The proposal has been shared with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and US envoy Steve Witkoff. Iran has told Pakistan it will only consider a ceasefire if the US and Israel immediately halt hostilities, including strikes targeting senior leadership, while rejecting US President Donald Trump’s deadline on reopening the Strait of Hormuz, according to Turkish news outlet Anadolu English.

Iran’s continued control over the Strait of Hormuz -- a narrow route that carries nearly a fifth of the world’s oil -- is already rippling through global markets. Supply chain disruption have pushed prices higher propelling Brent crude towards the $110 mark.

Trump has intensified pressure, warning that if no deal is reached, the US could target Iran’s infrastructure and push the country "back to the stone ages."

At the same time, Iran has allowed only limited shipping through the strait, with traffic down significantly compared to normal levels.

The conflict continues to expand beyond Iran. Explosions were reported in Tehran, while Israeli strikes hit multiple locations, including near Sharif University. Casualties have mounted, with dozens reported killed across Iran in recent attacks.

- Ends

With inputs from agency

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