Israeli forces carried out airstrikes on Saturday against the Bandar Imam Petrochemical Complex, Iran's major petrochemical hub located near Mahshahr and Bandar Imam Khomeini in Khuzestan Province.
The attacks focused on two utility plants, Fajr 1 and Fajr 2, which supply gas, power, and industrial water to over 50 petrochemical plants in the sprawling facility, according to a report in The New York Times. Two senior oil ministry officials confirmed to the newspaper that the strikes effectively halted all production across the complex.
Hamed Shams, head of marketing and communications for the oil ministry’s petrochemical industries, stated on social media that the targeted infrastructure provides electricity to the petrochemical plants and, during summer months, “plays a key role in providing electricity to 500,000" people in Khuzestan Province.
Iranian officials described the Bandar Imam complex as one of the country's primary petrochemical centers, producing 72 million tons of products annually. The site employs many of the area's estimated 300,000 residents and generates basic chemicals, polymers, and materials used in plastics, textiles, fertilizers, and medical equipment.
Two senior Iranian oil ministry officials called the total shutdown an immeasurable blow to Iran's already frail economy. They estimated that rebuilding the utility plants and restoring full production could take about two years.
Khuzestan Province Governor Seyed Mohammadreza Mavalizadeh visited the site and told Iranian media that rescue teams and firefighters responded rapidly. His office reported five people killed and 170 injured in the attacks. Social media videos showed large plumes of smoke and fire rising from within the complex.
Mavalizadeh noted that Israeli airstrikes also hit other facilities in the zone, including the Razi, Karoun, and Bandar Imam petrochemical plants. Iranian state television reported the complex was evacuated following the strikes.
“Attacking Mahshahr’s petrochemical plants means attacking the heart of Iran, the vital arteries of Iran’s economy," Mehdi Bostanchi, head of a private industrial complex and representative for a group of Iranian industrial leaders, said in a social media post.
Petrochemical exports account for about 25 percent of Iran's total exports to around 60 countries and generate $10 billion to $15 billion in annual revenue, serving as a key alternative income source amid efforts to reduce oil dependency.
The strikes form part of intensified Israeli and American operations against Iranian infrastructure in recent days, which have also included the country's main steel plants, pharmaceutical and research centers, airports, and seaports.