Israeli Military Strikes Iran's Maroun Shar Petrochemical Site Again, Iran Threatens to Expand Retaliation Scope

The Israeli military carried out an airstrike on Iran’s key Mahshahr petrochemical complex in southern Iran on June 8 local time, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced that day. The strike marks the first time Israel has targeted the facility since a ceasefire agreement went into effect on April 7. The site struck, the Bandar Imam Petrochemical Complex, is Iran’s largest petrochemical facility, with more than 50 plants and an annual production capacity of roughly 72 million tons. Iranian media reported the complex’s Karun Petrochemical Plant was hit twice around 7:30 a.m. local time on June 8. No casualties have been confirmed, though the facility sustained damage. The IDF stated the attack targeted a military-linked site used to produce raw materials for Iran’s ballistic missile program. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) condemned the strike as a “dangerous game” and warned it would expand retaliation against Israel, including targeting energy-related infrastructure. This is the second attack on the Mahshahr complex this year. In early April, Israeli forces targeted the facility’s public utilities, disrupting all production and drawing international criticism for targeting Iran’s civilian economic infrastructure. As Iran works to diversify its economy, petrochemical exports account for roughly a quarter of its total exports. Israel has long argued the complex is a “dual-use” facility—producing chemical raw materials for both civilian and military use, making it a legitimate target. However, international legal experts note any attacks on dual-use facilities must follow the proportionality principle outlined in the Geneva Conventions.