Israel Says It Struck Iran’s Largest Petrochemical Complex

South Pars—shared with Qatar—is the world’s largest natural gas field and a cornerstone of Iran’s economy.

A general view of the the phase 17-18 of the South Pars gas field facilities in the southern Iranian port town of Assaluyeh on the shore of the Gulf on Nov. 19, 2015. Atta Kenare/AFP via Getty Images

Israel said on April 6 that it carried out an airstrike on Iran’s largest petrochemical facility—the South Pars plant at Asaluyeh—as hostilities continued and diplomatic efforts to secure a cease-fire faced mounting pressure ahead of a U.S. deadline.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said the strike inflicted massive economic damage and hit a key pillar of Iran’s industrial base, responsible for around 50 percent of the country’s petrochemical production.