Israel's first strike targets Iranian oil facility

The Israeli military announced conducting strikes on "multiple fuel storage complexes" in Iran, indicating a shift from targeting political and military objectives to civilian industrial infrastructure.

The Israeli military announced attacks on fuel depots in Tehran on the evening of 7/3. They stated these facilities supplied fuel to "various customers, including military units in Iran." This marks the first time an Iranian oil facility has been targeted since the US-Israel campaign against the country began on 28/2.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) described the operation as a significant strike, representing a new step in deeply undermining the Iranian government's military infrastructure. IDF spokesperson, Brigadier General Effie Defrin, said that same evening that the Israeli military had "moved to the next phase of the operation, expanding the scope of bombardment on the Iranian government's main production facilities."

Thick smoke covered the sky over the Iranian capital after the Shahran oil refinery in Tehran was reportedly hit by a strike on 7/3. Video: Reuters

Video from Reuters showed smoke and fire rising from the Shahran oil refinery in Tehran.

Iran's state news agency IRNA reported a fuel depot south of the capital was targeted. The depot is located near a key refinery, but according to ILNA news agency, the refinery "was not damaged." A source from Iran's Ministry of Oil stated that three fuel depots west of Tehran were struck by Israeli fighter jets. The hit depots are located in the Kuhak and Shahran areas of the capital, along with the nearby city of Karaj.

An explosion erupted after the Israeli military struck multiple fuel storage complexes in Tehran on 7/3. Photo: AFP

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu affirmed that the campaign against Iran would continue with undiminished intensity. He called for the overthrow of the Iranian government, while Israeli television reported the country was "optimistic" about the possibility of this scenario. Netanyahu stated Israel has a "well-structured plan with many surprises" for the next phase of the war, aiming to destabilize the Iranian government and "create conditions for change."

A fierce fire erupted near a fuel storage depot in northwestern Iran after an Israeli strike on 7/3. Video: X/NewsWire

Meanwhile, President Donald Trump warned that "Iran will be severely attacked," adding that he was seriously considering striking "targets never before targeted."

In response, Ali Mohammad Naini, spokesperson for Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, declared that the armed forces are capable of sustaining high-intensity conflict at the current operational pace for at least 6 more months.