Israel Hits Tehran Oil Depots in First Strike on Iran’s Energy Infrastructure

Israeli forces struck oil storage facilities in Tehran on Saturday, marking the first reported attack on Iran’s oil infrastructure since the war between the two sides began.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) disclosed the operation in a statement posted on X on Saturday, saying its air force had struck several fuel storage complexes belonging to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in Tehran.

According to the statement, the strikes were carried out based on intelligence gathered by the IDF, targeting facilities where Iranian authorities distributed fuel to various military entities across the country.

The strike represents the first time Israel has targeted Iran’s oil infrastructure since the conflict escalated on February 28, when joint US–Israeli airstrikes killed Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, triggering a wider war across the Middle East.

What they are saying 

IDF said the strike was on several fuel storage complexes belonging to the IRGC in Tehran

Videos circulating on social media showed flames and thick smoke rising into the sky as explosions rocked parts of Tehran and the neighbouring city of Karaj shortly after the strikes.

• “Guided by IDF intelligence, the IAF struck these complexes, where the Iranian terrorist regime would distribute fuel to multiple military entities in Iran,” IDF said. 
• According to the IDF, “the strike significantly deepens the damage to the military infrastructure of the Iranian terrorist regime.”  

Tehran’s main oil refinery is located close to one of the targeted storage facilities in the southern Shahr Rey district, although Iranian media said the refinery itself was not damaged in the military operation.

Backstory 

Since the war began, the conflict has sent shockwaves through global energy markets.

Data from global commodities markets show that Brent crude futures surged by about 20 per cent last week, while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude climbed roughly 25 per cent amid fears of supply disruptions.

Although Saturday’s strike marks the first time Israel has targeted Iran’s oil infrastructure, Tehran has carried out several attacks on oil and gas facilities across the Middle East and Gulf region as it attempts to hit US interests and allied energy assets.

• Nairametrics reported that Saudi Arabia’s state oil giant was forced to halt operations at a major refinery in the country’s Eastern Province after a drone strike linked to Iran’s retaliatory attacks disrupted facilities capable of processing more than half a million barrels of crude per day.
• In Qatar, authorities temporarily stopped downstream production after energy facilities in Ras Laffan Industrial City and Mesaieed Industrial City were targeted in a series of strikes.
• The attacks have affected energy infrastructure across several Gulf countries, including the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman.

However, Iran has since signalled it would refrain from targeting neighbouring countries unless attacks against it originate from their territories.

What you should know 

The escalating conflict is already affecting the global economy through rising oil prices and disruptions to air travel across the Middle East.

• The International Monetary Fund has warned that sustained increases in oil prices could push global inflation up by as much as 40 basis points.
• Qatar’s energy minister, Saad al-Kaabi, has also warned that crude oil prices could climb to as high as $150 per barrel within weeks if Gulf energy producers begin shutting down exports due to security risks.

Nigeria’s energy sector is already feeling the effects of the global disruption.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited recently raised the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) at its retail stations in Abuja to N960 per litre from N875.

The adjustment followed a similar move by the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, which increased its gantry price by N100 to N874 per litre from N774 early last week.