This is no longer just military targets—this is economic warfare at scale.
ASALUYEH — Israel said it carried out a major strike on Iran’s largest petrochemical complex on Monday, intensifying a campaign that is increasingly targeting the country’s economic infrastructure.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said the military hit facilities in Asaluyeh, a key hub for Iran’s energy sector, describing it as a “central target” responsible for roughly half of the country’s petrochemical production.
Iranian state media confirmed explosions at the site but said the situation was under control. The National Petrochemical Company, cited by IRNA, reported that a fire had been contained and that no injuries were recorded. Damage assessments are ongoing.
Strikes on Core Economic Assets
The attack marks a shift toward sustained strikes on industrial capacity.
Asaluyeh hosts major facilities linked to the South Pars field, the world’s largest natural gas reserve, shared with Qatar. The site is central to Iran’s petrochemical exports and a critical source of state revenue.
Katz said the strike, combined with earlier attacks, had taken multiple facilities offline, dealing what he described as a severe economic blow.
Iranian officials have not confirmed the extent of the disruption.
Expanding Target List
The Asaluyeh strike follows a series of recent attacks on Iran’s industrial sector.
Iranian media reported that another petrochemical site in Marvdasht was also targeted within the past 24 hours, while officials in Khuzestan province said a strike on the Mahshahr Petrochemical Special Zone over the weekend killed five people.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said last week that strikes had significantly reduced Iran’s steel production capacity, targeting another sector tied to both economic output and military manufacturing.
Strategic Direction
The latest developments reflect a broader shift in Israel’s campaign.
Rather than focusing solely on military installations, strikes are increasingly directed at sectors that underpin Iran’s economy and its ability to sustain long-term operations, including energy, petrochemicals, and industrial production.
Katz said Israel would continue targeting what he described as Iran’s “national infrastructure.”
Wider Implications
The expansion of targets carries broader risks.
Attacks on energy infrastructure raise the potential for disruption beyond Iran, particularly given the region’s role in global energy markets. The South Pars field’s shared status also introduces sensitivities involving neighboring states.
At the same time, the strategy signals an effort to apply economic pressure alongside military force, increasing the cost of continued conflict for Tehran.
The immediate impact remains unclear.
But the trajectory is evident: the war is moving deeper into the economic foundations of the Iranian state.
