Iran’s IRGC Strikes Back: What This Means for Middle East Oil and Energy Security

Translation result

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it carried out large-scale strikes on energy and petrochemical facilities across the Middle East, describing the operations as retaliation for Israeli and U.S. strikes on infrastructure inside Iran.

On the 5th (local time), the IRGC said in a statement that it struck Israel’s Haifa refinery, the Habshan gas facility in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the Al Ruwais petrochemical plant, Bahrain’s Sitra petrochemical plant, and the Shuaiba petrochemical facility in Kuwait.

The statement identified the Haifa refinery as a fuel-supply site for Israeli combat aircraft and described the Al Ruwais plant as a fuel hub supporting U.S. and Israeli military logistics. It also alleged that U.S. companies, including ExxonMobil and Chevron, operate the Habshan gas facility, and characterized the Sitra and Shuaiba sites as energy infrastructure that cooperates with U.S. forces.

The IRGC framed the strikes as a direct reprisal for attacks on civilian infrastructure inside Iran, citing damage to the Karaj B1 bridge and the Mahshahr petrochemical complex.

The statement added: \”As the enemy suffered defeats at sea and on land, and as aircraft and drones were repeatedly shot down in the air, they resorted to the cowardly tactic of attacking civilian targets. We will respond to attacks on civilian facilities with double the retaliation.\”