Tehran was engulfed in heavy black clouds after Israeli airstrikes targeted the capital’s oil facilities late Saturday, marking what appears to be the first strike on Iran’s energy infrastructure since the launch of “Operation Epic Fury” one week earlier.
Residents across the city woke to an unusual and alarming sight. Rainwater mixed with oil fell across rooftops and streets, leaving surfaces coated in a dark, murky liquid. Images circulating from the city showed thick smoke hanging over Tehran while dense black clouds spread across the skyline hours after the Israeli military struck several fuel storage locations.
@KobeissiLetter (The Kobeissi Letter) “BREAKING: Iranians are reporting thick black clouds of smoke this morning following Israeli airstrikes on oil depots and refineries. Rain is being described as “black and oily,” with the Iranian government warning of acid rain.”
Mar 8, 2026 https://x.com/KobeissiLetter/status/2030623654254404064?s=20
Strikes on Oil Facilities Send Toxic Compounds Into the Air
According to Iran’s Fars News Agency, a series of airstrikes struck four oil storage facilities and a production center located in Tehran and the neighboring Alborz region. The attacks ignited large fires and released significant quantities of pollutants into the atmosphere.
The Iranian Red Crescent humanitarian organization issued a warning after the overnight explosions at Tehran’s oil depots. Officials stated that the blasts released “significant quantities of toxic hydrocarbon compounds, sulfur, and nitrogen oxides” into the air.
Authorities warned that precipitation following the explosions could create a hazardous situation for residents in affected areas.
“In the event of precipitation, the resulting rain is extremely dangerous and highly acidic,” officials warned, adding that exposure to the substance could lead to skin burns and severe lung damage.
Video footage from the strikes captured towering columns of fire rising into the sky and lighting up the capital during the nighttime bombardment. According to Fars News Agency, the explosions also resulted in the deaths of four tanker truck drivers who were present during the attack.
