Mahshahr: Iran’s Mahshahr Special Petrochemical Zone in the southwestern Khuzestan province has been hit by US-Israeli air strikes, leaving at least five people wounded and raising fears of additional casualties, Iranian officials and news agencies report.
Citing provincial authorities, Iranian state‑linked outlets described Saturday’s assault as a significant escalation targeting one of the country’s key energy hubs.
Valiollah Hayati, the deputy governor of Mahshahr, told local media that explosions were heard across the Special Petrochemical Zone after the strikes, which struck at least three companies within the complex.
“Explosions were heard within the complex,” Hayati said, adding that the Fajr‑1, Fajr‑2 and Amir‑Kabir petrochemical plants were among the facilities hit. He confirmed that five people were injured in the att
ack, while warning that the full extent of the damage and the possibility of further casualties were still being assessed.
Iran’s Fars news agency reported multiple explosions at the Mahshahr facility, while the Islamic Republic News Agency (ISNA), citing Hayati, flagged a “high chance” of casualties from the strikes.
ISNA quoted Hayati as saying that the initial figures on injuries could increase as information emerges from the affected sites.
Meanwhile, the Mehr news agency reported that the Bandar Imam Petrochemical Complex, another major energy installation in Khuzestan province, was also targeted by air attacks, with some sections sustaining damage and a small number of injuries reported.
The twin strikes on Mahshahr and Bandar Imam underscore how U.S. and Israeli forces have begun to focus more explicitly on Iran’s critical energy infrastructure amid the ongoing regional conflict in West Asia.
The strikes mark a further escalation in the ongoing conflict in West Asia with Iranian officials terming the attacks as a deliberate attempt to inflict economic and financial damage on the country.
So far, there has been no immediate independent confirmation of the incident(s) or an official statement from the United States or Israel.