Photo: x.com/Osinttechnical
Iran launched a missile strike on Israel, targeting the Haifa oil refinery, the largest in the country, according to Haaretz and The Jerusalem Post.
According to Haaretz, one of the Iranian missiles hit the Haifa refinery. Israel’s national emergency medical service reported one person injured, who sustained light shrapnel wounds.
Media reports also indicated that power outages occurred in the suburbs of Haifa following the strike. Meanwhile, The Jerusalem Post noted that the refinery was damaged by debris.
Israel’s Energy Minister Eli Cohen stated that the damage to the northern power grid is localized and not significant. Repair crews are already working on-site, and electricity has been restored to most affected areas, with full restoration expected soon.
Why the Haifa refinery matters
The Haifa oil refinery is the largest refining and petrochemical complex in Israel, operated by Bazan Group (formerly Oil Refineries Ltd.).
Located in the Haifa Bay area in northern Israel, it is one of the country’s two main refining facilities (the other is in Ashdod).
The complex includes multiple plants for oil refining and petrochemical production, with a maximum capacity of about 197,000 barrels per day (around 9.8 million tons of crude oil annually).
Iran had previously targeted the Haifa refinery in June last year, when reports indicated that operations were halted after the attack, and three people were killed.
Separately, on March 19, Iran also struck the SAMREF oil refinery in Saudi Arabia—the only refinery in the country capable of exporting products while bypassing the blocked Strait of Hormuz.
