Conflict swells, Israel attacks Iran's South Pars gas field

Iran and Israel traded missiles and airstrikes on Saturday, a day after Israel launched an air offensive, killing commanders and scientists, and bombing nuclear sites in a stated bid to stop it building an atomic weapon.

“If (Ayatollah Ali) Khamenei continues to fire missiles at the Israeli home front, Tehran will burn," said Israel Katz, Israeli defence minister. Its Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu threatened to strike “every target of the Ayatollah regime,” saying he had “clear support” of the US. Meanwhile, Iran warned that Israel was pushing the region into a “dangerous cycle of violence.”

An Israeli drone reportedly struck a refinery on Saturday in South Pars, the world’s largest natural gas field, causing a “strong explosion” and a fire later extinguished. This is Israel’s first attack on Iran's oil and natural gas industry.


Tehran’s dialogue with the US, set to resume on Sunday, will not be taking place, said mediator Oman, even as the Kremlin said US President Donald Trump had conveyed to Russian President Vladimir Putin that US negotiators were ready to talk to the Iranians. US officials also stated the same. Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araqchi said continuing talks is unjustifiable while “barbarous” attacks persist.

Iran reported around 60, including 20 children, killed in an attack on a Tehran housing complex, with more strikes reported. Israel said it had attacked over 150 targets and killed more than 20 Iranian army and Revolutionary Guards commanders, including armed forces chief Mohammad Bagheri. In Israel, air raid sirens sent residents into shelters as waves of missiles streaked in and interceptors rose to meet them. At least three people were killed.

An Israeli official said Iran had fired around 200 ballistic missiles in four waves, while Tehran said it had killed a police chief.

Tehran Warns Israel Allies
As per a statement, Türkiye President Erdogan has told the Saudi Arabian crown prince that the attack on Iran demonstrates that Israel under Netanyahu is the greatest threat to regional stability. Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi has also held phone calls with his Israeli and Iranian counterparts, Beijing's foreign ministry said.

With Israel saying its operation could last weeks, and urging Iran's people to rise up against their Islamic clerical rulers, fears have grown of a regional conflagration dragging in outside powers. The US, Israel's main ally, helped shoot down Iranian missiles, two American officials said. Trump has lauded Israel's strikes and warned of worse unless Iran quickly accepts the sharp downgrading of its nuclear programme that the US has demanded.

Tehran warned Israel's allies that their regional military bases would come under fire too if they help shoot down Iranian missiles, Iranian state television reported.

However, 20 months of war in Gaza and a conflict in Lebanon last year have decimated Tehran's strongest regional proxies, Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon, reducing its options for retaliation. Gulf Arab states that have long mistrusted Iran but fear coming under attack in any wider conflict have urged calm as worries about disruption to the Gulf region's crucial oil exports boosted the price of crude by about 7% on Friday.

Iranian general and parliament member Esmail Kosari said the country was seriously reviewing whether to close the Strait of Hormuz, the outlet for oil shipped from the Gulf. Iran's overnight fusillade included hundreds of ballistic missiles and drones, an Israeli official said.