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Netanyahu: Israel destroyed Iran’s largest petrochemical plant

“We are systematically eliminating the Revolutionary Guard’s money machine,” said the Israeli prime minister.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a press conference in Jerusalem, March 19, 2026. Photo by Shalev Shalom/POOL.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a press conference in Jerusalem, March 19, 2026. Photo by Shalev Shalom/POOL.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed on Monday that the Israel Defense Forces attacked Iran’s petrochemical factories, targeting a critical source of funding for the Islamic Republic.

“After we destroyed 70% of their steel production capability, which is the raw material used to build weapons against us, we continued to attack their petrochemical plants,” Netanyahu said in a video statement posted on X. “These two things are their money making machine, used to fund their war of terror against us and against the entire world.”

The Israeli leader added, “We destroyed the largest petrochemical plant in Iran. We are systematically eliminating the Revolutionary Guard’s money machine—eliminating plants, operatives and continuing to eliminate senior officials.”

The comments come as the joint U.S.-Israeli campaign against Iran continued into a sixth week, with President Donald Trump’s Tuesday night deadline for the Islamic Republic to open the strategic Strait of Hormuz—through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil passes—fast approaching.

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