Israel strikes Iran petrochemical site in Khuzestan as Tehran retaliates with airbase attacks, signalling escalating tensions and heightened regional instability with both sides on alert, reports Asian Lite News Desk
Israel carried out an airstrike on a petrochemical facility in southwestern Iran on Monday, marking a fresh escalation in hostilities between the two regional rivals, as both sides signalled readiness for further confrontation.
According to Iranian state and semi-official media, the strike targeted the Karun Petrochemical Company in Khuzestan province, with parts of the complex sustaining damage. Local authorities said no casualties had been reported immediately following the attack.
Valiollah Hayati, deputy governor for security affairs in Khuzestan, confirmed that sections of the facility had been hit by projectiles. In response, the Petrochemical Special Economic Zone Organisation ordered the evacuation of employees from facilities in Bandar-e Mahshahr, a key industrial hub in the province.
The strike came amid a broader exchange of military actions between Israel and Iran. On the same day, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said its aerospace forces had targeted two Israeli air bases, describing them as “important and strategic”.
In a statement carried by its official outlet Sepah News, the IRGC said it struck the Nevatim and Tel Nof air bases in response to Israeli missile attacks on radar installations at multiple locations in Iran. The group said its forces remain on full operational readiness, with plans prepared for further scenarios.
The developments follow a series of retaliatory actions over the past 24 hours. On Sunday, the IRGC launched ballistic missiles towards the Ramat David air base in northern Israel, describing the move as a response to what it called Israeli actions in southern Lebanon.
Reports of explosions across several Iranian regions added to the sense of escalation. Iranian media cited local sources as saying blasts were heard west of Tehran, in the central province of Isfahan, and near Tabriz in East Azerbaijan province early on Monday.
The exchange of strikes underscores the growing volatility in the region, with both sides appearing to calibrate responses while signalling deterrence. The targeting of energy infrastructure and military installations reflects a widening scope in the confrontation, raising concerns over the potential for further escalation.
