The Israeli occupation is to blame for a recent explosion that damaged Iranian gas pipelines, according to Oil Minister Javad Owji.

The National Iranian Gas Company (NIGC) revealed that a terrorist attack targeted two major gas transmission pipelines in the southwestern province of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari, and the southern province of Fars last week, resulting in a colossal blast and a blazing fire afterward. 

⚡BREAKING:

🇮🇷 Huge explosion of a gas pipeline between the cities of Shahrekord and Borujen in Iran

The explosion and its aftermath are so large that they could be seen from a distance as far away as 60km.

@Middle_East_Spectator pic.twitter.com/MlhpXmVnfG

— Megatron (@Megatron_ron) February 13, 2024

Owji told reporters on Wednesday that the Israeli scheme was unsuccessful since just a few pipelines were destroyed.

Last week, sabotage strikes on pipelines in southern Iran created a short slowdown in gas deliveries.

According to Owji, the gas supply network is running smoothly. He added that the enemy was unable to interrupt the residential gas distribution network due to the Oil Ministry's complete readiness.

Owji previously described the incidents as "sabotage and terrorist attacks," and pointed out on Friday that "the enemy’s plan was to completely disrupt the flow of gas in winter to several main cities and provinces in our country."

Israeli occupation forces launched attacks that targeted Wednesday two vital gas pipelines within Iran, disrupting the supply of heat and cooking gas to Iranian provinces with millions of residents, The New York Times reported citing two Western officials and a military strategist associated with Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC). 

The Western officials and the Iranian military strategist highlighted that the gas pipeline attacks reportedly carried out by "Israel" required in-depth knowledge of Iran's infrastructure and precise coordination, considering that two pipelines were simultaneously targeted in multiple locations.

According to one Western official who said the strike was major and symbolic, the damage was relatively easy for Iran to repair and caused minimal harm to civilians, but delivered a clear warning of the potential damage "Israel" could cause amid escalating conflicts in the Middle East and heightened tensions between Iran and the Israeli occupation and the United States.

The New York Times cited Western officials as saying that "Israel" was also responsible for a separate explosion on Thursday in a chemical factory on the outskirts of the Iranian capital Tehran, causing disturbance in the neighborhood and sending smoke and fire into the air. However, local officials mentioned that the factory explosion resulted from an accident in the fuel tank.

NYT emphasized that these pipelines transport gas from the south to main cities such as Tehran and Isfahan, with one pipeline reaching Astara, a city near Iran's northern border with Azerbaijan.