Massive explosions rocked the Iranian capital overnight after Israeli airstrikes struck several major fuel depots in Tehran, triggering towering fireballs and thick plumes of black smoke that spread across the city’s skyline.

Iranian officials said at least four people were killed in the strikes, including two tanker drivers, after warplanes targeted multiple oil storage facilities and a petroleum products transport centre in and around the capital. Among the sites hit were the large fuel depots at Shahran and Aghdasiyeh, which erupted into intense fires visible from kilometres away.

Dramatic videos circulating online showed flames lighting up the night sky while powerful blasts shook nearby neighbourhoods. In several areas, leaking fuel ignited along roads, creating what residents described as a “river of fire” flowing through parts of the city.

Emergency crews battled the blazes through the night as thick smoke drifted over Tehran and nearby districts, including Karaj. By Sunday morning, firefighters said the major fires had been brought under control, though the smell of burning fuel continued to linger across the capital.

Journalists on the ground reported an unusual phenomenon as rain mixed with oil residue and soot from the burning storage tanks, causing dark droplets to fall over parts of the city.

Iranian authorities acknowledged that the attacks temporarily disrupted fuel distribution but insisted that the country’s overall fuel reserves remained secure.

The Israeli military later confirmed that its air force had targeted “fuel storage facilities in Tehran”, saying the strikes were intended to prevent the infrastructure from being used to support Iran’s military operations.

The attacks come amid rapidly escalating hostilities between Israel and Iran following the February 28 offensive that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several senior military commanders.

Since the start of the conflict, Israel has reportedly carried out about 3,400 strikes across Iran, while Tehran has warned it could sustain months of intense retaliation using advanced long-range missiles.

Massive explosions rocked the Iranian capital overnight after Israeli airstrikes struck several major fuel depots in Tehran, triggering towering fireballs and thick plumes of black smoke that spread across the city’s skyline.

Iranian officials said at least four people were killed in the strikes, including two tanker drivers, after warplanes targeted multiple oil storage facilities and a petroleum products transport centre in and around the capital. Among the sites hit were the large fuel depots at Shahran and Aghdasiyeh, which erupted into intense fires visible from kilometres away.

Dramatic videos circulating online showed flames lighting up the night sky while powerful blasts shook nearby neighbourhoods. In several areas, leaking fuel ignited along roads, creating what residents described as a “river of fire” flowing through parts of the city.

Emergency crews battled the blazes through the night as thick smoke drifted over Tehran and nearby districts, including Karaj. By Sunday morning, firefighters said the major fires had been brought under control, though the smell of burning fuel continued to linger across the capital.

Journalists on the ground reported an unusual phenomenon as rain mixed with oil residue and soot from the burning storage tanks, causing dark droplets to fall over parts of the city.

Iranian authorities acknowledged that the attacks temporarily disrupted fuel distribution but insisted that the country’s overall fuel reserves remained secure.

The Israeli military later confirmed that its air force had targeted “fuel storage facilities in Tehran”, saying the strikes were intended to prevent the infrastructure from being used to support Iran’s military operations.

The attacks come amid rapidly escalating hostilities between Israel and Iran following the February 28 offensive that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several senior military commanders.

Since the start of the conflict, Israel has reportedly carried out about 3,400 strikes across Iran, while Tehran has warned it could sustain months of intense retaliation using advanced long-range missiles.