Israeli refinery sustained damaged in Iranian attack

An Iranian missile strike damaged essential infrastructure at the BAZAN Group Oil Refineries facility in the northern Israeli port city of Haifa on Thursday, knocking out electrical systems and prompting an environmental response, the refinery's owner said Friday.

No casualties or injuries were reported.

Trails and lights from missile defence interceptors are seen in the sky, as excess gas is burned at the oil refinery in Israel's northern city of Haifa late on March 19, 2026. (AFP Photo)

Refinery damaged, most facilities 'still operating'

BAZAN Group Oil Refineries said in a filing at the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange that an Iranian missile strike damaged "essential infrastructure" owned by a third party outside the complex, which is expected to return to normal operation "within a few days."

"The refinery's electrical infrastructure was also damaged," the company said.

"Most production facilities were operating normally, and the rest were being restarted," BAZAN said.

Israeli Energy Minister Eli Cohen said crews had restored electricity to some areas and were working to restore power to those still without it following the strike.

The oil refinery in Israel's northern city of Haifa is pictured late on March 19, 2026. (AFP Photo)

Cluster munition fragment suspected

Israeli media, including public broadcaster Kan 11, aired images showing a thick plume of dark smoke rising from the area of the refinery.

Kan reported there were no concerns that hazardous materials had leaked. Initial assessments indicated that part of an Iranian cluster munition struck the refinery, Israeli media said.

Israel's environmental protection ministry said its director general and emergency response units from the Haifa district were dispatched to the scene "following a report regarding the fall of interceptor debris in the Haifa region and a suspected incident involving hazardous materials."

The strike came after the Israeli military warned of incoming missiles launched from Iran.

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A regional escalation has continued to flare since the U.S. and Israel launched a joint offensive on Iran on Feb. 28, killing around 1,300 people so far, including then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries hosting U.S. military assets, causing casualties and damage to infrastructure while disrupting global markets and aviation.

March 20, 2026 03:18 PM GMT+03:00