An Israeli government document, obtained by Channel 12, revealed that the damage inflicted on the Bazan petrochemical complex in Haifa Bay by repeated Iranian missile strikes far exceeds what was officially announced, and that the complex will not be fully rehabilitated before 2028.
According to the report, the complex was hit by two Iranian missile strikes: the first during the June 2025 war, and the second last February. The June 2025 strike was the most destructive, resulting in the killing of three workers at the complex and damage to its main power station, which led to a complete shutdown of all refining facilities. Bazan Company estimated its losses at the time at between $150 and $200 million.
The second attack occurred in two phases: the first by fragments of an interceptor missile, and the second with a direct hit to the roof of one of the petroleum products tanks.
Rehabilitation to Take Years
Despite Bazan Company’s announcement following the attack that the damage was “not substantial” and that production was ongoing, and Israeli Energy Minister Eli Cohen’s confirmation that the strike did not affect production facilities and would not impact fuel supplies, the government document—published by the Israeli Ministry of Interior as part of a draft planning and construction order for rehabilitation—showed that the damage was not limited to gas turbines. It also included steam boilers, electrical rooms, and a number of auxiliary operating systems. A petroleum products tank with a capacity of 12,700 cubic meters was completely destroyed and deemed irreparable, necessitating the construction of an entirely new tank.
The document added that the construction area required for rehabilitation had nearly doubled compared to what was approved after the first strike, indicating the actual scale of destruction at the complex.
The Israeli document also acknowledged the impact of the Iranian strikes on fuel supplies, as the Ministry of Interior’s draft order stated that the damage to the oil tank “directly affects the ability to produce gasoline that meets market specifications and to supply consumers,” contradicting earlier official statements.
The document confirmed that full rehabilitation works for the complex will not be completed before 2028—just three years before the deadline set by the Israeli government to evacuate the complex entirely by 2031.
Strategic Risk Zone
In this context, Haifa Mayor Yona Yahav said the scale of destruction caused by Iranian missiles should serve as a “wake-up call” for relevant authorities, describing the complex as a “strategic risk zone” for hundreds of thousands of residents in Haifa and its surroundings. He added that recent wars have proven that concentrating petrochemical industries within populated areas makes them primary targets in any military confrontation, and called on the government to expedite the evacuation of the complex instead of spending years rebuilding facilities slated for demolition.
The Bazan complex is Israel’s largest facility for crude oil refining and the production of fuel and its derivatives—from gasoline, diesel, kerosene, cooking gas, and asphalt to petrochemical products. It also oversees subsidiaries including Carmel Olefins and Gadiv Petrochemical Industries.