Document exposes Israeli narrative: Widespread destruction of the Bazan oil complex as a result of Iranian strikes

A secret government document obtained by Israel's Channel 12 revealed the real and catastrophic extent of the damage to the Bazan petrochemical complex in Haifa Bay, after it was subjected to repeated Iranian missile strikes. The document issued by the Israeli Interior Ministry debunked previous official statements that tried to downplay the attacks, stressing that the damage to the country's largest crude oil refining and vital products production facility far exceeds what was announced, and that the full rehabilitation process will not be completed until 2028.

According to military and security records, the Bazan strategic complex, which oversees major industrial companies such as Carmel Oliphin and Jadeed Petrochemicals, was hit by two direct Iranian missile strikes, the first in June 2025, which killed three workers and shut down refineries after hitting the main power plant, with losses ranging from $150 million to $200 million. The second attack took place in February in two stages, which included fragments from an interceptor missile and a direct hit, which completely destroyed a 12,700 cubic meter oil derivatives tank.

Details of the destruction and the extent of the damage

The Interior Ministry's draft planning and building order for rehabilitation confirmed that the destruction was not limited to gas turbines as previously claimed by Energy Minister Eli Cohen, but also extended to steam boilers, power rooms, and support operating systems, as well as the irreparable destruction of the main tank.

The document stated that the area of construction work required for reconstruction has almost doubled compared to the first estimates, reflecting the extent of structural destruction within the complex.

Unprecedented recognition of market vulnerability

The official document, in the first acknowledgment of its kind, made clear that these strikes have a direct and heavy impact on the daily lives of settlers and local markets.

The draft indicated that the damage to the oil tank directly affected the overall production capacity of gasoline that conforms to the technical specifications required for the local market, and the processes of supplying it to consumers, which is in stark contrast to previous government assurances that the fuel supply will not be compromised.

Local and environmental sources inside the occupation said that the new discovery sparked a wave of criticism against the government, due to the huge investments that were injected to rebuild a facility that is scheduled to be evacuated permanently by 2031.

In this context, Haifa Mayor Yona Yahav stated that the scale of the destruction represents a real "alarm bell", considering that the concentration of petrochemical industries in populated areas turns them into easy strategic targets in any military confrontation, and calling on the government to take a bold decision to speed up the evacuation instead of wasting time restoring what will be demolished.