Strikes by the US and Israel on Iran, along with Tehran’s retaliatory targeting of Gulf countries, have caused widespread destruction, generating millions of tonnes of carbon emissions and raising environmental risks that could potentially lead to nuclear contamination.

Following a deadlock in negotiations between the United States and Iran, US President Donald Trump said on Feb. 28 that Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had been killed in a joint US-Israeli strike, later confirmed by Iranian state media.

Since then, US and Israeli strikes on Iran have intensified, while Tehran has retaliated by targeting US bases in Gulf countries. Nearly a month of bombardment, along with strategic moves such as the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, has disrupted political and economic balances, with significant environmental consequences also emerging.

In response, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) warned that the escalation has increased civilian casualties and displacement and caused environmental damage, while strikes on oil facilities risk releasing toxic fumes harmful to human health and natural resources.

A report by the Conflict and Environment Observatory (CEOBS) detailed the environmental toll by mid-March, noting that of more than 300 attacks on civilian and military sites across Iran, Iraq, Israel, Kuwait, Jordan, Cyprus, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Azerbaijan, 232 posed environmental risks.

Explosions and fires in Tehran highlighted these risks, with strikes on oil refineries on March 7-8 causing severe air pollution.

According to the report, four facilities around Tehran were targeted, including the Aqdasieh and Shahran oil depots in the northeast, the Karaj depot in the west and the Tehran oil refinery.

The refinery, one of Iran’s largest with a daily capacity of about 225,000 barrels, produces liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), gasoline and vacuum-based products used in sulfur recovery and asphalt production.

On March 2-3, Iran-launched drones struck Saudi Arabia’s Ras Tanurah refinery and the United Arab Emirates’ Fujairah port. The report noted that the resulting smoke contained harmful gases and chemicals posing risks to human health.

Activity along the Persian Gulf has also raised concerns over marine pollution. During the report’s preparation, US strikes on Iran’s navy were estimated to have damaged or sunk more than 43 Iranian vessels, while military port infrastructure near Bandar Abbas and Konarak was also affected.

Another incident involved the Iranian frigate Dena, which was attacked near Sri Lanka, causing an oil spill that the report said threatens ecologically sensitive areas.

Iran’s retaliatory strikes on Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Jebel Ali and Manama also reportedly caused vessels to sink and damaged port facilities, posing significant environmental risks from fuel and oil pollutants.

War’s early strikes generate emissions exceeding Iceland’s annual total

A report by the Climate and Community Institute released on March 21 estimated that the war’s strikes produced significant carbon emissions across multiple sources.

Destruction of buildings accounted for 2.415 million tons, explosions at oil refineries for 1.883 million tons and fuel used in combat and support operations for 529,000 tons.

Embedded carbon in military equipment contributed 172,000 tons, while missiles and drones added another 55,000 tons.

As a result, carbon emissions during just the first two weeks of the war reached 5.054 million tons, exceeding Iceland’s total annual emissions.

Nuclear risk

The strikes, particularly in areas near nuclear facilities, have raised concerns about a potentially far greater environmental hazard.

On March 21, the Atomic Energy Organisation (AEOI) of Iran reported that the US and Israel had carried out an attack on the Natanz nuclear facility.

In the immediate Iranian retaliation that followed, sirens sounded across southern Israel, including near the Dimona nuclear facility.

In a statement, the Israeli military reported that it had detected missile fire from Iran and that its air defense systems attempted to intercept the incoming projectiles.

While the International Atomic Energy Agency urged all parties to exercise restraint to prevent a nuclear accident, World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned that the conflict in the region had reached a dangerous level.