Iran warns against targeting energy infrastructure following storage strike

Iran has issued a stark warning to the US and Israel against further strikes on its critical energy infrastructure, threatening reciprocal action across the Middle East. The declaration follows a co-ordinated military operation over the weekend that severely damaged multiple fuel storage facilities and refining assets in and around Tehran, triggering major urban and ecological hazards.

Ebrahim Zolfaghari, a spokesman for a central command unit of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), condemned the weekend bombardments. Speaking on state tv, he said: “We expect governments of the Islamic countries to warn the criminal US and barbaric Zionist regime against inhumane actions, like attacks on fuel and energy installations, as soon as possible, or else, similar actions will be taken in the region.”

Zolfaghari accused the coalition of achieving nothing beyond civilian casualties, adding they had “gone beyond this to the point that they have targeted parts of the fuel and energy infrastructures”.

The Israeli military claimed responsibility for the operations, stating the targeted complexes were utilised by the IRGC to distribute fuel to military entities. According to the semi-official Fars news agency, the bombardments struck four primary oil storage facilities – Aghdasieh, Shahran, Karaj, and Shahr-e Rey – alongside an oil production transfer centre. State media confirmed damage to the state-owned Tehran refinery, a 220,000 barrel-per-day (bpd) facility critical for distributing petrol, diesel, and aviation fuel. Concurrently, US forces struck a major desalination plant on Qeshm island in the Gulf.

The operational disruption has precipitated a severe localised crisis. Products leaked from the Shahran depot into municipal drainage and sewage systems, igniting in underground channels and spreading along roadways. Emergency services confirmed four fatalities, including two oil tanker drivers. The Iranian Red Crescent Society subsequently issued stay-at-home orders for the capital’s 10mn residents, citing high risks of lung and skin diseases from toxic airborne pollution and acid rain generated by the burning crude.

Despite the IRGC’s warnings against targeting energy installations, regional markets are already absorbing the impact of a sustained Iranian offensive against neighbouring infrastructure. Over the past week, Tehran has launched drone strikes against several critical Gulf assets. Operations at Saudi Arabia’s 550,000 bpd Ras Tanura refinery have been suspended since early last week following an attack. Similar strikes have targeted Kuwait’s 346,000 bpd Mina al-Ahmadi facility and Bahrain’s 380,000 bpd Sitra refinery.

Saudi authorities confirmed additional drone interceptions over the 1mn bpd Shaybah and 250,000 bpd Berri oil fields, with the latest incidents occurring today. Storage terminals in the UAE and Oman have also faced bombardments. Furthermore, intelligence reports indicate Iranian drones have targeted the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline within Georgian territory, a strategic conduit responsible for delivering 30-40% of Israel’s crude supply.