Why oil is falling from the sky after massive Israeli airstrikes on Iran

3 minutes of readingUpdated: Mar 8, 2026 06:43 pm IST

Iran’s capital, Tehran, woke up Sunday to oil-saturated rain, thick black clouds and smoke.

According to a CNN report, the Israeli air force carried out a major airstrike targeting Iranian refineries and oil facilities. The main objective was the oil installations located to the south and west of the city. A rain full of oil with black residue was recorded throughout the city. The city governor has urged all residents to wear masks due to the polluted air situation.

According to the Iranian news agency FARS, four oil storage facilities and oil production transfer centers in Tehran and Alborz were affected by the attacks carried out by the Israeli army on Saturday. Four tanker truck drivers who were present at the center during the attack were also reported to have died.

Oil is raining in Tehran this morning after major airstrikes against oil facilities in the south and west of the Iranian capital. @CNN @cnni pic.twitter.com/2FBD9EnO9p

—Frederik Pleitgen (@fpleitgenCNN) March 8, 2026

Attack on a desalination plant in Bahrain

On the ninth day of the conflict between Israel, the United States and Iran, Iran reportedly attacked the Bahrain desalination plant with “material damage.” Drones and missiles targeted Bahrain from the beginning as it hosted the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet, but it was the first time Iran had reportedly attacked a desalination plant.

This comes after the United States attacked Qeshm Island, which is home to an Iranian desalination plant. Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s foreign minister, said the attack on Qeshm island in the Strait of Hormuz had disrupted water supplies to nearly 30 villages and warned that “the United States sets this precedent, not Iran,” according to an AP report.

Israel attacks Lebanon

With 12 more deaths reported on Sunday, the death toll rose to more than 300, following the Israeli attacks. Israeli forces, targeting Iranian forces in southern Lebanon, attacked the city after its ceasefire in November 2024.

What is happening in the Middle East?

Tensions between the countries began on February 28, 2026, with the joint attack launched by the United States and Israel against Iran’s nuclear, military and leadership sites. Iran retaliated by attacking the US and Israeli embassies and US military bases located in Middle Eastern countries. The continued strikes have impacted the global economy and oil prices. With the Strait of Hormuz closed, following the disruption caused by the constant siege, oil prices have risen to an all-time high since the Covid pandemic.

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