An Iranian missile strike targeted oil refinery facilities in the northern Israeli port city of Haifa on Thursday, causing limited damage and no casualties, according to Israeli authorities.
Israel’s Energy Ministry confirmed that the attack did not result in significant damage to critical infrastructure. Energy Minister Eli Cohen said the impact on the power grid was minor and localised. Although electricity supply was briefly disrupted in parts of northern Israel, power was restored within 45 minutes.
Israel Electric Corporation reported that a power line in the Haifa area was hit by shrapnel from the attack, leading to the temporary outage.
Emergency services said missile debris fell at two locations within the refinery complex, sparking a fire that disrupted some supply lines. However, the fire was quickly brought under control, and no injuries were reported.
The Ministry of Environmental Protection added that debris from an intercepted missile was being treated as a hazardous materials incident. After inspection, authorities confirmed there were no abnormal air quality readings and no risk to public health.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed responsibility for the attack, stating that it had targeted oil refineries in both Haifa and the southern city of Ashdod, along with other military-related sites. However, there was no immediate confirmation of any strike or damage in Ashdod.
The incident marks another escalation in the ongoing conflict, with Iran demonstrating its capability to strike key Israeli energy infrastructure. A similar attack in June last year on the Haifa refinery killed three people and forced a temporary shutdown of operations.
Despite the latest strike, Israeli officials emphasised that the damage was contained and that essential services remained operational.
