Civilian fatalities feared as US-Israeli strikes hit petrochemical hubs in Iran's Mahshahr & Bandar Imam - Top updates

US and Israeli strikes on Saturday reportedly hit a petrochemical complex in southwestern Iran, with multiple companies in the area affected, according to Iranian media reports.

"Explosions occurred in the Special Petrochemical Zone of Mahshahr," said Fars news agency, citing the deputy governor for Khuzestan province, as reported by AFP

He said the "US-Israeli attack on Mahshahr" hit three companies in the area including Abu Ali, Rijal, and Amir Kabir petrochemical companies, while Tasnim news agency quoted him as saying that the "the extent of the damage remains unknown".

Five people were wounded as a result of the strikes but it was not immediately clear if there were any deaths, he added.

Based on the decision of the Petrochemical Special Economic Zone Emergency Committee, all industrial units operating in the area have been evacuated, as per Fars news agency

There is still no accurate estimate of the exact location of the explosion and the extent of the damage.

Bandar Imam Petrochemical complex hit

Another Reuters report, citing Mehr, said Bandar Imam Petrochemical complex in Iran's southwestern Khuzestan province has been targeted by air attacks, with some section sustaining

Last week, The Times of Israel reported that Israel’s political leadership instructed the IDF to shift to striking “economic targets” in Iran, aimed at causing massive financial damage to the regime.

Projectile strikes Bushehr nuclear power plant

In another development, the International Atomic Energy Agency on Saturday said that it has been informed by Iran about a projectile striking close to the premises of the Bushehr nuclear power plant.

The IAEA said in an X post that one of the site’s physical protection staff members was killed by a projectile fragment and that a building on site was affected by shockwaves and fragments.

"No increase in radiation levels was reported," the IAEA said.

Bridges next, then Electric Power Plants: Trump threatens

The development comes as diplomatic engagements between Washington and Tehran continue amid the ongoing war in West Asia. The tensions escalated following joint US-Israel military strikes on Iran on 28 February, which killed Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

On Wednesday US-Israeli strikes targeted the ‘B1 bridge in Karaj’, in Iran, that killed eight civilians and injured 95 others. Following that Donald Trump said in a Truth Social post “Our Military, the greatest and most powerful (by far!) anywhere in the World, hasn’t even started destroying what’s left in Iran. Bridges next, then Electric Power Plants! New Regime leadership knows what has to be done, and has to be done, FAST!”

In retaliation, Tehran targeted Israel and US assets across several Gulf countries, disrupting key waterways and affecting international energy markets and global economic stability.