Israel has struck a petrochemical facility in Iran, marking the first attack on the country’s energy infrastructure since the ceasefire reached on April 8. The strike raises fresh concerns about the stability of the truce amid escalating tensions between the two countries.
Israel said it targeted the Mahshahr petrochemical complex in southwestern Iran as part of a broader wave of strikes on military objectives, reported Reuters, citing Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency, where officials said that the facility sustained damage in the attack.
“A short while ago, the Israeli Air Force struck military targets belonging to the Iranian terror regime in western and central Iran,” the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) wrote on Telegram.
Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for the first missile attack on Israel since the ceasefire, while warning they could target Israeli-linked shipping in the Red Sea. Israel responded by activating its air defense systems to intercept the threat.
Earlier on Sunday, Israel had also conducted strikes in the Beirut area. Iran retaliated by launching missiles at Israeli targets.
Following exchanges of strikes between Iran and Israel, airspace across Iran, Iraq, and Syria was closed early Monday, according to Flightradar24 data. Iran suspended flights citing security concerns, while Iraq shut its airspace for 72 hours and Syria imposed a 12-hour closure.
At the time of writing, Brent crude oil climbed 3.85% to $88.65 per barrel, while WTI crude futures rose 4.50% to $94.62 per barrel.
Trump Says Strikes Won’t Derail Deal
The recent attacks come in the wake of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon, facilitated by the U.S. The agreement was contingent on the cessation of Hezbollah fire and the removal of its operatives from southern Lebanon.
Despite these incidents, Trump asserted that the new strikes would not hinder his administration’s ongoing peace negotiations with Tehran. He emphasized his control over the situation, telling the Financial Times, “It’s not going to have any impact on the deal. I call the shots. I call all the shots. He (Netanyahu) doesn’t call the shots.”
Moreover, Trump has threatened to destroy Iran’s enriched uranium reserves, either collaboratively or independently, regardless of Iran’s cooperation. In an interview aired on NBC on Sunday, he stated that the US would consider lifting sanctions or unfreezing Iranian assets only after a peace deal is finalized.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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