(Photo by Ilia YEFIMOVICH / AFP) /Defence Minister Israel Katz said Monday that Israel had conducted a “powerful strike” on Iran’s largest petrochemical complex after Iranian media reported multiple explosions at the site. The military “just carried out a powerful strike on Iran’s largest petrochemical facility, located in Asaluyeh—a central target responsible for about 50 per cent of the country’s petrochemical production,” Katz said in a video statement. “At this point, the two facilities, which together account for roughly 85 percent of Iran’s petrochemical exports, have been taken out of operation and are no longer functioning,” Katz said. On Friday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israeli strikes had destroyed around 70 percent of Iran’s steel production capacity, significantly undermining Tehran’s ability to manufacture weapons. Steel is a strategically important material used in industrial and military production, including for missiles, drones, and ships.

Source: Punch April 06, 2026 12:38 UTC