Wars are usually fought with missiles and weapons—but when oil depots and energy infrastructure start burning, the shockwaves don’t stay on the battlefield. They travel through the global economy. The real question now is: are we heading toward a new global energy shock?
The night in Tehran suddenly turned into a scene of fire and smoke. Residents reported seeing the sky glow red as massive flames rose above parts of the city. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed it had carried out strikes on several fuel storage complexes, calling the operation a “significant strike.” According to the Israeli military, the targeted fuel tanks were used frequently by Iran to support its military infrastructure and operations.
Soon after the strikes, thick smoke spread across parts of the city. A woman in her twenties living in Tehran described the atmosphere: “There’s a lot of smoke in the city. I can smell something burning.” Meanwhile, the National Iranian Oil Company confirmed that several oil depots in Tehran and Alborz Province were hit during the night. Despite the attacks, the company said fuel supply to both provinces was continuing sustainably through alternative sources.
In Karaj, a city near Tehran, residents also witnessed dramatic scenes. One man recalled how the night unfolded for his family: “My mum was very stressed. First, there was a red light and everything looked like it was on fire. Then a red cloud formed. We went up to the rooftop and realized that an oil depot had been hit.” Another young resident from Karaj said the brightness of the explosions was overwhelming: “It was as if the night had turned into day.”
The military developments are also fueling strong political reactions in Israel. Yair Lapid, the Israeli opposition leader, argued that Israel should go even further and target Iran’s oil sector directly. He said destroying Iran’s oil fields would severely damage the country’s economy and could potentially topple the regime. Writing on X, Lapid stated that the war should only end once the Iranian regime falls.
Lapid also called for the destruction of Iran’s nuclear facilities and its missile industry, and added that groups aligned with Iran—including Hezbollah—should also be targeted.
But beyond the immediate military and political impact, a much bigger global concern is beginning to emerge. Across different conflict zones in recent years, oil depots, refineries, and energy infrastructure have increasingly become strategic targets. If this trend continues, it could start affecting global oil production and supply chains.
Oil remains the backbone of the modern global economy. Transportation, manufacturing, aviation, shipping, and even electricity generation in many regions depend heavily on stable oil supplies. If production drops or supply routes become unstable, oil prices can surge rapidly. And when energy prices rise, the ripple effects spread everywhere—from higher transportation costs to rising inflation and pressure on global markets.
That’s why a critical question is now being asked worldwide: if energy infrastructure continues to be targeted in conflicts, could the world face another major energy crisis in the future? And if oil production significantly declines, how much damage could it cause to the global economy?
For now, the fires in Tehran are a local crisis. But the bigger concern is whether the economic shockwaves from burning energy infrastructure could eventually reach the entire world.
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