TEL AVIV: A fire erupted at the Bazan oil refinery in Haifa on Monday following a wave of missile attacks launched from Iran and Lebanon targeting northern Israel, according to local media reports.
Footage broadcast by Channel 12 showed thick smoke billowing from the refinery complex, although it remained unclear whether the facility sustained a direct hit or was damaged by debris from intercepted missiles. Authorities confirmed that no casualties were reported.
The missile barrage also caused damage in nearby areas, including Krayot and Shfaram. Israel’s Army Radio reported that a gasoline storage tank at the refinery was struck, contributing to the blaze.
The incident had an immediate economic impact, with Bazan’s shares falling by 2.5% on the stock exchange. Notably, the same facility had been targeted by a missile strike from Iran just over a week earlier.
Israel’s public broadcaster said the Haifa strike resulted in direct damage to an industrial building, along with additional damage to a nearby residential structure.
It added that around 10 rockets were launched by Hezbollah from Lebanon in coordination with missiles fired from Iran.
Israeli authorities continue to enforce strict censorship on reporting damage caused by missile and drone attacks, limiting the release of footage from impact sites.
Monday’s escalation comes despite recent statements from the United States and Israel claiming that much of Iran’s and Hezbollah’s missile capabilities had been significantly weakened.
A day earlier, a major fire broke out at a chemical plant near Beersheba in southern Israel after a separate Iranian missile barrage.
The Middle East has remained on high alert since the United States and Israel launched a large-scale air offensive against Iran on February 28, resulting in the killing of the Iranian top leadership, including its Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
