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According to the Anadolu agency, tensions between Iran and Israel sharpened on Monday after Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) accused Israel of widening the conflict by striking civilian and energy infrastructure, warning that attacks on oil facilities could carry consequences far beyond the battlefield.
The IRGC said it launched missiles toward Haifa in northern Israel shortly after an Israeli strike damaged the Mahshahr petrochemical complex in southwestern Iran. According to Iranian state media, the facility sustained partial damage.
In a statement carried by state broadcaster IRIB, the IRGC described Israel’s actions as the start of a “dangerous game” and said the missile attack on Haifa was carried out in direct response. The force also warned that any fallout for global markets would be “the responsibility of the main arsonist in this field, America.”
The exchange marks another escalation in a conflict that has repeatedly threatened to spill beyond military targets and into critical economic infrastructure. Oil and petrochemical facilities are particularly sensitive in a region that plays a central role in global energy supplies, making any attack on such sites a matter of international concern.
As the Iranian missiles were launched, air-raid sirens sounded in several Israeli cities, underscoring the continued volatility of a confrontation that has persisted for months.
The latest developments follow the coordinated US and Israeli airstrikes against Iran in late February. Tehran responded with attacks targeting Israel as well as other countries in the region that host American military assets, widening fears of a broader regional conflict.
Although a ceasefire came into effect on April 8 after weeks of fighting that reportedly left thousands dead, diplomatic efforts have since stalled. Disagreements over how the truce should be implemented, combined with shifting regional dynamics, have prevented negotiations from regaining momentum.
The prolonged conflict has already disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important maritime energy routes. With both sides continuing to trade accusations and military strikes, concerns are growing that further attacks on energy infrastructure could deepen economic uncertainty and complicate efforts to restore stability across the Middle East.
