Tel Aviv [Israel], March 31: An oil refinery in northern Israel has been struck in a missile barrage from Iran and Lebanon, Israeli media report, in the second attack on the facility since the United States-Israeli war on Iran began last month.
Israeli media reported Oil Refineries, also known as the Bazan oil refinery, in Haifa was struck on Monday. A fire broke out at the facility and large plumes of black smoke could be seen over the area.
It was not immediately clear if the blaze was caused by a direct hit or falling debris. It also was not clear whether the missile was fired from Iran or Lebanon.
"The incident has been fully contained. There are no casualties, no hazardous materials risks and no danger to the public," Eitan Rifa, a fire commander, said. Bazan Group, the company that runs the refinery, also said no casualties were reported in what it described as a missile attack on the roof of a distillates tank.
Iran and its allies, including the Lebanese group Hezbollah, have carried out missile and drone attacks across the Middle East against what they said are United States and Israeli targets.
The Iranian attacks have increasingly targeted energy facilities across the region while Hezbollah has launched missiles into northern Israel and confronted Israeli troops invading southern Lebanon.
Hezbollah on Monday said its forces had targeted an Israeli naval base in Haifa with a "barrage of advanced missiles".
In addition to its attacks on Iran, the Israeli army has launched strikes across Lebanon and expanded its ground invasion of the country.
Source: Qatar Tribune