DUBAI/Jerusalem, June 14: An Israeli drone has struck a refinery in Iran’s South Pars gas field today, semi official Iranian news agencies reported.
If confirmed, it would mark the first Israeli attack on Iran’s oil and natural gas industry. Israel did not immediately acknowledge the attack. Such sites do have air defence systems around them, which Israel has been targeting since Friday.
The Fars and Tasnim news agencies reported the strike, saying it happened in Phase 14 of the field.
Iran shares the gas field, which stretches across the Persian Gulf, with Qatar.
Meanwhile, vowing to continue to strike hard at Iran, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel will strike every site and target of the Iranian regime.
“In the near future, you will see Israeli Air Force planes over the skies of Tehran. We will strike every site and every target of the Ayatollahs’ regime,” Netanyahu told the citizens in a video message.
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He warned what Iran has experienced so far would be nothing in front of what they are going to face in the coming days.
The Israeli Premier said that the goal of the Israeli operation is two fold – to foil Iran’s nuclear ambitions and to stop its ballistic missiles programme.
“We were in the 90th minute. There was a race by Iran’s nuclear teams to create nuclear bombs – atomic bombs for Israel’s destruction,” he said justifying Israeli Operation Rising Lion.
Earlier, Iran launched retaliatory missile and drone strikes on Israel into Saturday morning, killing at least three people and wounding dozens, after a series of blistering Israeli attacks on the heart of Iran’s nuclear programme and its armed forces.
Israel’s assault used warplanes – as well as drones smuggled into the country in advance, according to officials – to assault key facilities and kill top generals and scientists.
Iran’s UN ambassador said 78 people were killed and more than 320 wounded in the attacks.
Iran retaliated by launching waves of drones and ballistic missiles at Israel, where explosions lit the night skies over Jerusalem and Tel Aviv and shook the buildings below.
The Israeli military urged civilians, already rattled by 20 months of war sparked by Hamas’ October 7 attack, to head to shelter for hours.
Israel would welcome the government’s overthrow even if it is not actively seeking it.
Israel’s strikes also put further talks between the United States and Iran over a nuclear accord into doubt before they were set to meet Sunday in Oman.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman called further nuclear talks with the United States “meaningless” after Israeli strikes on the country, state television said.
“The US did a job that made the talks become meaningless,” Esmail Baghaei was quoted as saying. He added that Israel had passed all Iran’s red lines by committing a “criminal act” through its strikes.
However, he stopped short of saying the talks were cancelled. The Mizan news agency, which is run by Iran’s judiciary, quoted him as saying: “It is still not clear what we decide about Sunday’s talks.” (Agencies)
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