The view of Tehran’s skyline overnight on Sunday was apocalyptic: Billowing smoke and towering oil fires turned the horizon orange as Israeli strikes ignited fuel depots outside the Iranian capital.
Israel had bombed the fuel depositories — the first time its warplanes had targeted such infrastructure in the war — saying that they were being used by Iran’s military. Israeli airstrikes also hit depots in the nearby city of Karaj, sending huge bursts of flame into the air.
By Sunday morning, dark, oily smoke hung over Tehran, and the Iranian authorities said the strikes had released poisonous fumes into the air. The streets were largely empty and government offices were mostly closed, two residents of the city said.
“The night turned into morning and the morning into night,” said Aryan, 33, who asked to use his first name only amid fear of government retribution. “With the fire, it felt like night became day, and then with all the smoke the day turned back into night again.”
Black rain was falling, covering the city, he added.
The Iranian authorities sought to project normalcy, putting out releases on state news media saying that Tehran’s electrical supply was “extensive” and that any damage was being repaired.
Mohammad Sadegh Motamedian, the governor of Tehran, told Iran’s government-controlled broadcaster that there were no problems with the overall fuel supply, but that the attacks had caused a "temporary shortage".
Motamedian urged the public to cut back on non-essential travel and to curtail fuel consumption. The shortfall will take two to three days for Iran’s petroleum ministry to fix, he added.
Trump & Starmer talk
Prime Minister Keir Starmer spoke with US President Donald Trump on Sunday, less than a day after Trump mounted his latest criticism of the British leader over a perceived lack of support for the US campaign against Iran.
"The leaders began by discussing the latest situation in the Middle East and the military cooperation between the UK and US through the use of RAF (Royal Air Force) bases in support of the collective self-defence of partners in the region," a spokesperson from Starmer's office said in a statement.
The statement did not reference Trump's most recent remarks, made in a post on Truth Social, in which he responded to news that Britain may send an aircraft carrier to the region by saying "We don’t need people that join Wars after we’ve already won!"
The spokesperson from Starmer's office added: "The Prime Minister also shared his heartfelt condolences with President Trump and the American people following the deaths of six US soldiers."
"They looked forward to speaking again soon."
New York Times News Service and Reuters