TEL AVIV: An oil refinery in the northern Israeli port city of Haifa was hit on Thursday following an Iranian missile barrage, Israeli media reported.
Public broadcaster Kan 11 aired footage showing a thick plume of dark smoke rising from the refinery area shortly after air raid sirens sounded across northern and central Israel, including Jerusalem.
Israel’s military said the damage in Haifa was caused by falling fragments following the interception of an Iranian ballistic missile.
However, local media cited preliminary assessments suggesting that part of an Iranian cluster munition may have struck the refinery.
Energy Minister Eli Cohen said there was “no significant damage to infrastructure sites” despite the incident.
The refinery is operated by Bazan Group, which confirmed the site had been affected. Israel’s national ambulance service reported that one person sustained light injuries.
A spokesperson for Israel’s environmental protection ministry said emergency response teams were dispatched to the Haifa area following reports of falling interceptor debris and a suspected hazardous materials incident.
Officials later said there were no immediate concerns about any leak of hazardous substances.
Israeli media also reported fires and falling shrapnel in parts of the city following the missile barrage.
Power disruptions reported
The attack caused limited disruption to electricity supplies in northern Israel, officials said.
Cohen said some areas had temporarily lost power, but crews had restored electricity to most affected locations and were working to reconnect the remainder.
The missile barrage came as Iran intensified attacks across the region in retaliation for Israel’s strike on Iran’s South Pars gas field, a key component of its energy infrastructure.
The exchange marks a further expansion of the conflict into critical energy assets on both sides.
Global energy concerns
The targeting of energy facilities in Iran, Israel and across the Gulf has heightened concerns about global fuel supplies and market stability.
Analysts say Iran’s actions, combined with its effective control over the Strait of Hormuz — a route through which around one-fifth of global oil passes — are placing additional pressure on already strained energy markets.
The latest escalation has contributed to rising oil and gas prices and increased volatility in global markets.
Meanwhile, air raid sirens were reported across multiple parts of Israel, while emergency services remained on alert for further attacks.
