Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced on Tuesday a significant retaliatory operation targeting Saudi Arabia’s petrochemical infrastructure. This response followed reported assaults on Iran’s energy facilities in Asaluyeh, including plants associated with the South Pars gas field.
The IRGC stated that it deployed medium-range missiles and multiple suicide drones against industrial sites in Jubail, an eastern Saudi city vital to the kingdom’s downstream energy sector. The strikes focused on the Sadara petrochemical complex, a joint venture between Saudi Aramco and Dow Chemical, along with other facilities connected to SABIC and ExxonMobil.
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia’s defense ministry confirmed that its air defense systems intercepted and destroyed seven ballistic missiles aimed at the eastern region. Debris from the intercepted missiles reportedly fell near energy installations, though the ministry did not immediately verify any damage to the targeted plants.
Visual footage verified by independent sources showed smoke and flames billowing over Jubail’s industrial zone, highlighting the intensity of the attack and the ongoing escalation of conflict in the Gulf region.
Iran has characterized these strikes as retaliation for explosions at its Asaluyeh petrochemical plants, which Iranian media attribute to operations linked to the United States and Israel. This confrontation is part of a wider conflict that has led to the closure of the strategically crucial Strait of Hormuz and contributed to sharp increases in global energy prices.
