(TJV NEWS) A major fire erupted at Kangan Port in Iran’s Bushehr province on Saturday after an Israeli drone strike hit the onshore refinery at Phase 14 of the South Pars gas field—the first known Israeli attack specifically targeting Iran’s strategic energy infrastructure.

According to Iran’s semi-official Fars News Agency, “Phase 14 of the South Pars gas field was targeted by a strike from the Zionist regime.” The outlet added that portions of the complex caught fire following the blast, prompting an emergency response from fire crews on the scene.

Tasnim News Agency, another Iranian outlet, reported that the explosion was caused by a small drone resembling a UAV. The impact resulted in the shutdown of one of the offshore platforms that feeds the Phase 14 processing facility, halting production of approximately 12 million cubic meters of gas per day. Firefighters managed to prevent the blaze from spreading to adjacent refinery units.

Tasnim also noted a second fire at the Fajr Jam gas refinery, one of Iran’s largest processing centers, which handles gas not only from South Pars but also the Nar and Kangan fields. The full extent of the damage from these simultaneous incidents remains unclear.

South Pars is part of the world’s largest natural gas field, which Iran shares with Qatar—where it’s known as the North Field. The field accounts for about two-thirds of Iran’s total natural gas supply. While Qatar exports liquefied natural gas (LNG) globally, Iran has no functioning LNG terminals, limiting its ability to export natural gas.

Until Friday, Iranian officials had insisted that the nation’s energy infrastructure remained intact despite a series of Israeli strikes across Iranian territory. But Saturday’s drone assault marks a strategic shift, signaling that Israel is now extending its military campaign beyond nuclear and military sites to target economic assets vital to Iran’s domestic energy supply and political stability.

The South Pars attack follows a wider Israeli offensive launched early Friday against Iran’s nuclear and missile programs. That wave of airstrikes, which reportedly killed senior commanders and nuclear scientists, left at least 78 dead and more than 320 injured, according to figures cited by Iran’s UN envoy.

This escalation comes amid a deepening conflict between Israel and Iran, as both sides broaden the scope and intensity of their military operations.