Israeli air strikes have destroyed 70% of Iran's steel production capacity, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Friday, claiming the damage severely limits Iran's ability to produce weapons. The attacks, conducted jointly with the United States, targeted Iran's two largest steel plants — Khuzestan Steel Company and Mobarakeh Steel Company — both of which confirmed operations have halted and repairs could take months. Steel is critical for manufacturing military equipment such as missiles, drones, and naval vessels. Netanyahu stated in a video address, "Together with our American friends, we continue to crush the terror regime in Iran. We are eliminating commanders, bombing bridges, bombing infrastructures." He described the destruction of the steel facilities as "a tremendous achievement" that cuts off financial resources and weapons output for Iran's Revolutionary Guards.
The strikes come amid escalating exchanges between Iran and the US-Israel alliance. Iran launched a new wave of missile attacks on Israel on Friday, causing damage to homes, vehicles, and a train station in Tel Aviv after some projectiles evaded interception. US President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that the American military "hasn't even started destroying what's left in Iran," adding, "Bridges next, then Electric Power Plants!" Hours earlier, a US strike destroyed Iran's tallest bridge in Karaj, killing eight and injuring at least 95. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded online, asserting that attacks on civilian infrastructure would not force Iran to surrender. The conflict, ongoing for over a month, began with US-Israeli strikes on Iran and has since triggered retaliatory actions across the Middle East. Disruptions have affected global energy markets, particularly as Iran moved to close the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20% of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas passes. A planned UN vote on deploying a multinational force to secure shipping in the strait has been delayed.
When Netanyahu claims credit for destroying 70% of Iran's steel capacity, he is not just announcing military success — he is signaling a shift to economic warfare meant to cripple Iran's long-term industrial resilience. Trump's public threats to escalate to power plants confirm this is no longer just about retaliation, but systemic dismantling. Targeting steel, a backbone of both military and civilian infrastructure, means future Iranian weapon production will face material shortages, not just technical ones. This marks a dangerous evolution: modern warfare now includes the deliberate erosion of a nation's industrial foundation.
