A Tehran official told ‘The New York Times’ Israeli strikes in Isfahan and Ahvaz will hinder postwar recovery; Israel says sites are military-linked, a businessman cites strict security checks.A senior Iranian official told ‘The New York Times’ overnight that Israeli strikes on two steel plants dealt a significant blow to the country’s economy and will hinder postwar recovery. The unnamed official said the facilities produce materials essential for construction and road building.Both companies operating the plants are under U.S. sanctions. Washington has said Mobarakeh is part of a network supporting the regime’s Basij militia and is a critical revenue source for Iran’s security establishment.A former engineer at Mobarakeh told the newspaper that access to the site requires strict security clearance, with all employees, suppliers and contractors undergoing background checks and receiving special permits.The Khuzestan plant was also targeted in a 2022 cyberattack attributed to a group known as “Predatory Sparrow,” believed to be pro-Israel. Iran said at the time it had thwarted the attack but acknowledged production was halted.Israel this week said it would intensify strikes on infrastructure in Iran. The military said the targeted industries are largely “dual-use,” serving both civilian and military purposes, or have ties to the government and armed forces. Last week, Israel struck the South Pars gas field, a major source of domestic natural gas, and this week targeted large industrial complexes near Qazvin.Hours before the latest strikes, Defense Minister Israel Katz said attacks in Iran would expand to additional targets and sectors supporting the regime’s military capabilities. He warned Tehran to halt missile fire at Israeli civilians, saying, “They will pay increasingly heavy prices for this war crime.”A supplier to the Khuzestan steel plant who frequently visits the site said the strikes are unsettling the business
community and contractors working with industries that could be considered dual-use
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