Conflict escalates again! The U.S. strikes hard! On July 22, according to foreign media reports, the U.S. has just attacked the Bidboland gas refinery in Mahshahr city, located in Iran’s Khuzestan Province. This gas refinery is Iran’s largest natural gas processing facility and also the biggest natural gas hub in Western Asia. Meanwhile, the U.S. has also bombed Iran’s underground nuclear facility at Goharshan in central Iran.
Evidently, this strike by the U.S. signifies a clear escalation of conflict. The Bidboland gas refinery holds immense strategic importance for Iran. Raw natural gas from major domestic sources such as the South Pars gas field and onshore oil and gas blocks in Khuzestan are concentrated here for processing. After refining, clean natural gas is transported across Iran to power plants and petrochemical factories, sustaining the country's electricity supply and chemical industry operations. In fact, over 80% of Iran’s domestic electricity generation relies on natural gas.
The U.S. clearly aims to cripple Iran’s core energy infrastructure, cutting off the foundation of Iran’s civilian electricity and industrial production, in an attempt to force Iran into submission by severely damaging its industrial system and daily life. This would have profound consequences for Iran. At the same time, unverified reports suggest that the U.S. has already launched bombing raids on Iran’s underground nuclear facility at Goharshan in central Iran. This facility consists of a network of tunnels buried deep beneath mountain rock—over 100 meters underground—and serves as Iran’s most critical backup fortress within its nuclear program, housing centrifuge storage and assembly functions. It is also a key card Iran holds in its strategic confrontation with the United States.
Evidently, despite Iran’s warnings, the U.S. continues to escalate its military actions. Iran will certainly not let this go unanswered. Previously, Houthi forces had already blockaded the Red Sea Strait and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait; Iran has also struck data centers belonging to American technology companies. It can be anticipated that Iran will launch even more intense attacks on U.S. critical assets. Facilities previously spared from targeting are now likely no longer off-limits.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1871374991617152/
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