‘Apocalyptic’ scenes in Tehran: Massive inferno erupts after explosions – video

Explosions and large fires were reported across Tehran and the nearby city of Karaj after Israeli airstrikes targeted several fuel storage facilities in the Iranian capital and surrounding areas.Videos circulating on social media showed large flames and thick columns of smoke rising into the sky after the strikes, which reportedly hit multiple oil storage depots in Tehran and Alborz provinces. One depot in Karaj, west of Tehran, was also struck, according to Iranian state media.

Click for live updatesOne of the widely shared videos shows scenes straight out of a movie with massive apocalyptic inferno lighting up the adjoining areas.

Among the facilities targeted were the Shahran oil depot in northwestern Tehran and sites near the Shahr Rey district, where the capital’s main refinery is located. The Shahran depot had previously been struck by Israel last June.Iran’s oil ministry said emergency teams were working to contain the fires and stressed that the country’s fuel reserves remained secure. Authorities said precautions had been taken in advance to prevent shortages.An oil ministry source, cited by the Times of Israel, said three depots in western Tehran, including those in the Kuhak and Shahran areas, along with a facility in Karaj were struck by Israeli fighter jets.The Israeli military confirmed the strikes, saying fuel storage complexes were being used by Iran’s armed forces. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) described the operation as a “significant strike” targeting infrastructure supporting Iran’s military.“The military forces of the Iranian terror regime make direct and frequent use of these fuel tanks to operate military infrastructure. Through them, the Iranian terror regime distributes fuel to various consumers, including military entities in Iran,” the IDF said. “The strike constitutes an additional step in deepening the damage to the military infrastructure of the Iranian terror regime.”Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said they had launched a new wave of attacks against Israel in retaliation.In addition to fuel depots, the Israeli military said it had struck what it described as Iran’s two “most central” ballistic missile sites.Iranian officials said at least five oil-related facilities in and around Tehran were hit, including four storage depots and a petroleum products transport centre. Fires were later brought under control, though fuel distribution was temporarily interrupted while authorities assessed the damage.The CEO of Iran’s National Iranian Oil Products Distribution Company said four people, including two tanker drivers, were killed in the strikes.Smoke from the burning facilities lingered over parts of Tehran into Sunday morning, with residents reporting the smell of fuel in the air. CNN reported “blackened rainwater” fell over parts of the city, believed to be rain mixed with soot and oil residue from the fires.