Israel bombs Iranian gas fields in Bushehr province, also home to live nuclear reactor
Tehran: In a major escalation of the ongoing conflict, Israel has reportedly bombed infrastructure at Iran’s South Pars gas field in southern Bushehr province, reported Al Jazeera, citing Iranian media sources.
News agency Mehr and other local outlets stated that fires have broken out following the strikes. The South Pars gas field is a critical energy site for Iran and among the largest natural gas reserves in the world.
According to Open Source Intelligence Monitor OSINTdefender, Iran's Ministry of Petroleum has confirmed strikes targeted both the Phase 14 Refinery of the South Pars Gas Field and the Fajr Jam Natural Gas Refinery.
Home of Iran’s live nuclear reactor
The International Atomic Energy Agency reported on Friday that Israel did not hit the nuclear power plant in Bushehr.
A strike on a live nuclear reactor could unleash radioactive leakage capable of endangering civilian populations hundreds of kilometres away, depending on the severity of the breach.
Netanyahu issues warning
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu threatened on Saturday to strike "every target of the ayatollah regime" in Iran, adding that Israeli strikes had dealt a "real blow" to Tehran's nuclear programme.
"We will hit every site, every target of the ayatollah regime," Netanyahu said in a video statement on the second day of Israel's air campaign targeting Iranian military and nuclear sites.
"We have dealt a real blow to their nuclear programme" since Friday, he added.
"We have opened a path to Tehran. Very soon, you will see Israeli aircraft -- our air force, our pilots -- in the skies over Tehran," Netanyahu said, shortly after Israel's military reported it had struck 40 targets in the Iranian capital overnight, including missiles and advanced air defence systems.
Israel on Friday launched an unprecedented attack on Iran, hitting more than 200 military and nuclear sites, military spokesman Effie Defrin said, killing top army commanders, nuclear scientists and other senior officials.
Iran said 78 people had been killed and 320 wounded in the first Israeli wave of strikes.
Iran, in return, launched barrages of drones and missiles at Israel, killing three people, injuring more than 70 others and causing damage in several cities.