WANA (May 31) – Two days of continuous fire, the release of nearly 30,000 tons of toxic gas, and the formation of a pollutant cloud that expanded over an area of approximately 300,000 square kilometers; this is the picture that researchers have drawn using satellite data from the consequences of the Israeli attack on Tehran’s oil facilities.

 

A picture showing that the effects of such attacks are not limited only to the destruction of industrial infrastructure and can turn into an environmental crisis with consequences far beyond the geographical borders of the incident site.

 

A study recently published in the scientific journal Advances in Atmospheric Sciences, by examining data from two independent satellite systems, shows that the fire caused by the attack on Tehran’s oil depots in March 2026 continued for about two days, and during this period, nearly 29,800 tons of sulfur dioxide entered the atmosphere; a gas referred to as one of the most important factors causing acid rain and dangerous respiratory pollution.

 

What Did the Satellites Record?

Contrary to many initial reports that focused on the military dimensions of the incident, the new research has attempted to evaluate the atmospheric and environmental consequences of this attack. Using satellite imagery and remote sensing data, researchers have succeeded in continuously tracking the dispersion path of pollutants resulting from the fire.

 

The results of this examination show that the volume of sulfur dioxide released in this incident is comparable to some moderate volcanic eruptions or large refinery fires. According to this data, the pollutant cloud resulting from the burning of petroleum products dispersed across a space of about 300,000 square kilometers, an area roughly equivalent to the size of Italy.

A destroyed car lies as smoke rises after a reported strike on Shahran fuel tanks, amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Tehran, Iran, March 8, 2026. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency)

“Yin Zhengping,” an assistant professor at Wuhan University in China and the lead author of this study, says that previous studies usually only provided a snapshot of the pollution status, but this research attempted to track the dispersion trend of pollutants over time to allow for a more accurate assessment of at-risk areas.

 

Sulfur Dioxide; The Silent Ammunition of War

In environmental literature, sulfur dioxide is considered one of the most dangerous atmospheric pollutants. This gas, which is also produced in volcanic eruptions, has highly corrosive properties and is one of the main factors in the formation of acid rain.

 

Experts warn that long-term inhalation of this gas can cause severe respiratory tract inflammation, worsen lung diseases, damage lung tissue, and increase public health risks. In addition, the combination of sulfur dioxide with water vapor in the atmosphere can lead to acid rain, precipitation that damages soil, vegetation, water resources, and urban infrastructure.

 

From the researchers’ perspective, the significance of this incident lies not only in the volume of pollution produced, but also in its speed of dispersion. According to the research findings, the pollutant plumes can travel hundreds of kilometers within a few hours and affect areas far from the incident site as well.

 

From Oil Depot to Toxic Cloud

One of the notable points of this research is the examination of how the fire spread in the region. According to the published findings, the ignited oil from the Shahran depot was transferred to parts of the surrounding urban areas through the sewage network and underground channels, causing fires in some green spaces and protective belts around Tehran.

Smoke rises after a reported strike on Shahran fuel tanks, amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Tehran, Iran, March 8, 2026. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency)

Researchers emphasized that the data obtained from satellites matches the images and videos published on social media by Tehran citizens at the time of the incident. In those images, massive plumes of black smoke and extensive flames were observed in parts of western Tehran.

 

A War Against the Environment

Attacking energy infrastructure has become an important dimension of modern warfare in recent years. However, environmental experts believe that the consequences of such actions receive less attention than direct military damage.

 

The experience of wars in Iraq, Syria, Ukraine, and other regional conflicts has shown that the destruction of oil and industrial facilities can leave destructive effects on the environment; effects that sometimes persist for years after the end of the war.

 

The new study regarding the attack on Tehran’s oil facilities can also be evaluated within this framework. Researchers believe that the release of tens of thousands of tons of pollutants into the atmosphere, the pollution of natural resources, and the probability of acid rain are only a part of the consequences that must be considered in evaluating the true costs of war.

Members of the Red Crescent talk to each other as smoke rises after a reported strike on Shahran fuel tanks, amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Tehran, Iran, March 8, 2026. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency)

The Silent Victim of Conflicts

One of the most important results of this research is the highlighting of the environment’s role as a silent victim of wars. Unlike human casualties or civil damages, which are immediately visible, environmental effects often manifest gradually and sometimes persist for years.

 

The Chinese researchers emphasized in their report that due to wartime conditions and existing limitations, it was not possible to conduct field measurements at the incident site. However, satellite evidence shows that the volume of pollution produced in this incident was on a scale that cannot be considered merely a side effect of war.

 

A Case Beyond a Military Attack

At first glance, the attack on Tehran’s oil depots was considered an operation against energy infrastructure, but now scientific data presents a broader picture of this event; a picture that speaks of the release of nearly 30,000 tons of toxic gas, pollution of a region the size of a European country, and threats to health and the environment.

 

What this research reminds us of is a reality beyond the battlefield; that in today’s wars, smoke resulting from the burning of oil and industrial infrastructure can be just as devastating as missiles and bombs.

 

And perhaps for this reason, many environmental experts consider the intentional destruction of vital infrastructure and its widespread environmental consequences to be one of the most important challenges of humanitarian law and international law in contemporary wars.