Tehran Engulfed in Fire, Smoke and Acid Rain Following Strikes

Article content(Bloomberg) — Tehran’s residents woke up to a skyline shrouded in black smoke and acid rain clouds after Israeli airstrikes set ablaze key fuel depots serving one of the Middle East’s largest cities.Sign In or Create an AccountEmail AddressContinueor View more offersArticle contentMultiple videos posted on social media show massive fires dominating the horizon, in the west, south and north of the city. Iranian state media said a number of oil storage facilities had been attacked by enemy aircraft, causing large volumes of oil and fuel to burn well into the night. None of the footage could be verified by Bloomberg.Article contentWe apologize, but this video has failed to load.Try refreshing your browser, ortap here to see other videos from our team.Article contentArticle contentIsraeli jets targeted three Iranian oil depots, the Iranian semi-official Fars news agency said on Saturday. Article contentTop StoriesGet the latest headlines, breaking news and columns.There was an error, please provide a valid email address.Sign UpBy signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.Thanks for signing up!A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of Top Stories will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againInterested in more newsletters? Browse here.Article contentIsrael’s Energy Minister Eli Cohen confirmed the attacks, claiming the facilities are used by Iran’s military. He also warned that oil refineries and power stations could be targeted in the coming days, in an interview with Israel’s 103fm radio.Article contentThe attacks on essential infrastructure mark an escalation in the war as the Islamic Republic continues strikes on Gulf Arab countries — including a desalination plant in Bahrain — and rejects calls from US President Donald Trump for an unconditional surrender. Iran said the US was the first to strike an Iranian desalination plant.Article contentAs the fighting rages on and continues to rattle global markets, Iran’s state media has said that the country’s next supreme leader — who succeeds Ayatollah Ali Khamenei after he was killed in Israeli strikes on Feb. 28 — has been chosen and will be announced soon. Article content“It’s very scary. Day and night, eating and sleeping — it’s all over the place,” one resident of western Tehran, requesting anonymity because of the security situation, said via WhatsApp messages amid an intermittent internet blackout. Article contentArticle contentA CNN reporter in Tehran reported it was “raining oil” on Sunday morning and later posted a video from the Shahran oil depot in northwestern Tehran showing thick plumes of smoke billowing from the site. The facility was also attacked during Israel’s military strikes on Iran last June. Article content“God knows what will happen to us. We still have water, electricity and food,” another resident in central Tehran said, also declining to give her name because of the security situation and sensitivities around speaking with foreign media. Article contentEarlier on Sunday, Iran’s Red Crescent Society released a statement warning residents not to leave their homes because of high levels of toxic pollution caused by the strike on the fuel depots. They cited a risk of lung and skin disease from acid rain and told people not to leave even after the rain has stopped because its evaporation was also causing high levels of toxicity in the air.Article contentSince the start of the war on Feb. 28, 1,205 civilians including 194 children have been killed in Iran, according to the Washington-based Human Rights Activist News Agency. Article content—With assistance from Dan Williams.Article contentTrending U.S. aluminum buyers hunt for alternatives as Iran war upends global supply Commodities Bank of Canada governor warns of growing risks to financial stability Economy This TSX stock fought its way back from the AI software rout and may have 'strong growth prospects' Investor Beer, wine sales fall even more, putting tax revenues on the rocks, but one boozy drink is on the rise Retail & Marketing South Bow confirms open season for new pipeline to the U.S. using legacy Keystone XL permits Oil & Gas Share this article in your social networkCommentsYou must be logged in to join the discussion or read more comments.Create an AccountSign in Join the Conversation Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information. U.S. aluminum buyers hunt for alternatives as Iran war upends global supply Commodities Bank of Canada governor warns of growing risks to financial stability Economy This TSX stock fought its way back from the AI software rout and may have 'strong growth prospects' Investor Beer, wine sales fall even more, putting tax revenues on the rocks, but one boozy drink is on the rise Retail & Marketing South Bow confirms open season for new pipeline to the U.S. using legacy Keystone XL permits Oil & Gas