US-Israeli Strikes Target Iranian Energy Sites Despite President Trump's Announced Pause
According to the state-run Fars News Agency, the strikes hit a natural gas administration building and a gas pressure reduction station on Kaveh Street in northern Isfahan. While the facilities sustained partial damage, local reports indicate that preemptive safety measures—including taking the station offline before the attack—prevented a catastrophic explosion. However, the blast was powerful enough to damage several nearby residential homes.
Simultaneously, a projectile reportedly struck near a major gas pipeline connected to a power plant in Khorramshahr, in southwestern Iran. The city’s governor confirmed the incident but noted that the missile landed just outside the facility’s perimeter, resulting in no casualties and no immediate disruption to the local power supply. These attacks occur amidst a broader campaign by U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) and Israeli forces, which has already seen significant strikes on Iranian assets since the war began on February 28.
The timing of these strikes has raised significant diplomatic questions, coming just hours after U.S. President Donald Trump claimed to have ordered a five-day postponement of all attacks on Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure. Trump cited "very good and productive" talks with Tehran as the reason for the pause; however, the Iranian Foreign Ministry and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Ghalibaf have flatly denied that any such negotiations took place, dismissing the claims as "fake news" intended to manipulate global oil markets.
In response to the latest infrastructure hits, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has warned of immediate "reciprocal" attacks. An IRGC spokesperson stated that any further strikes on Iranian civilian infrastructure would lead Tehran to paralyze regional energy grids and desalination plants, specifically those supporting Israel or hosting U.S. military bases in the Gulf. Amidst the rising tension, the Chinese government has issued an urgent travel advisory for its citizens in Israel, urging them to exercise extreme caution or leave the country as the conflict threatens to expand further.
