Smoke Hangs Over Tehran After Overnight Hits
Tehran residents described a soot-filled morning after overnight airstrikes hit oil depots and a petroleum logistics site in and around the Iranian capital, leaving thick smoke hanging over parts of the city and prompting official warnings about hazardous conditions.
Local authorities said four oil depots and a petroleum logistics site were struck. Officials reported six people killed and 20 wounded at one of the sites. Videos shared by citizen journalists showed flames lighting up the skyline overnight and smoke continuing into Sunday morning as rain fell across the city.
Health Alerts and Warnings of Hazardous Rain
People described streets and cars coated in soot and balconies covered in black residue. Several said they woke with burning eyes and throat irritation, and some reported shortness of breath as the smoke and fine particles spread through densely populated neighborhoods.
Iran’s environmental agency advised residents to stay indoors. The country’s Red Crescent warned rainfall could worsen exposure to hazardous chemicals, including the risk of acid rain, and urged residents to limit time outside after rain, avoid using air conditioners, and protect exposed food. Tehran’s governor recommended wearing masks outdoors. A UK-based Iranian physician quoted in the report warned that toxic gases and particulate matter can aggravate asthma and other lung and heart conditions and raise longer-term health risks.
Shortages, Price Pressure, and Daily Life Disruption
Alongside health concerns, residents described compounding disruption to daily life. One activist, speaking under an alias, said masks were becoming harder to find and that basic items were rising in price, describing the situation as “apocalyptic.”
Others reported fuel scarcity and rationing, with long queues at petrol stations and limits on purchases. A restaurant owner said he was reluctant to serve food until he had confidence in air and water safety, describing conditions that made even cleaning windows and balconies feel risky due to soot and an unfamiliar smell in the air.
Attempts to Leave Amid Uncertainty and Limited Information
Some residents tried to flee the city overnight, but described heavy smoke and uncertainty about what had been hit and where. One woman said an internet shutdown left her without reliable updates, forcing her to decide whether to stay put or attempt to drive out while fires were still burning.
By late morning, she said she left Tehran for family outside the province, describing continued fires near the Rey depot and fuel rationing as she traveled. The accounts depict civilians grappling with hazardous air, disruptions to basic services, and the psychological strain of living under sustained strikes.