Attacks on two main gas pipelines in Iran this week were launched by Israel, a report from the New York Times said.
Western officials and an Iranian military expert said the unprecedented attacks in central and southern Iran were “sophisticated and precise.”
The report stated the attacks that interfered with the gas flow required a detailed familiarity with Iran’s infrastructure and were likely aided by internal sources.
The attacks, high-impact explosions, hit the main artery for natural gas transmission from Persian Gulf refineries to cities including Tehran, Isfahan, and Mashhad.
Iran’s Oil Minister, Javad Owji, said the attacks aimed to sabotage the gas flow to a number of cities and provinces during the winter.
The New York Times cited western officials who said Israel was also behind an explosion at a chemical factory near Tehran, which ignited a major fire.
Iran has not officially declared Israel was responsible for the attacks this week but has often accused Israel for incidents of sabotage against nuclear and industrial targets.
