TEHRAN - The oil minister has disclosed the rapid thwarting of an Israeli attack aimed at disrupting gas pipelines in Iran on February 14.

Speaking after a cabinet meeting on Wednesday morning, Javad Owji provided insights into the incident, revealing, “The enemy's intention was to disrupt our domestic gas supply, but fortunately, our proactive preparedness proved effective. We swiftly neutralized their malicious act, ensuring immediate repairs to the gas pipelines with minimal impact on cities and villages.”

The incident occurred at 12:50 am on Wednesday (Feb. 14) and impacted a natural gas pipeline running from Iran’s western Chaharmahal-Bakhtiari province up north to cities on the Caspian Sea. The roughly 1,270-kilometer (790-mile) pipeline begins in Asaluyeh, a hub for Iran’s offshore South Pars gas field. The blast resulted in an explosion without casualties, as confirmed by the local authorities.

Israel has not acknowledged carrying out the attack, though it rarely claims its espionage missions abroad. However, two days after the incident, the New York Times reiterated the involvement of Israel in the attacks in a report. Analysts see the strike as an escalation in the ongoing shadow war between the two sides. The strike indicates a significant shift in the clandestine conflict between Israel and Iran, involving air, land, sea, and cyberattacks over the years. Israel's targets have included military and nuclear sites, as well as cyberattacks on the oil ministry servers, causing turmoil nationwide.

The Iranian minister underscored, “Within a mere two hours of the explosion, our response team was on-site, successfully restoring the pipelines to full operation. Despite Israel's attempt to damage specific sections, our prompt intervention rectified the issues.”

Highlighting the efficient neutralization of this malicious act, Owji emphasized, “Gas pipelines, particularly those traversing mountainous, desert, and challenging terrains, were expeditiously restored.”

In reference to the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline, Owji explained, “Iran's seventh cross-country gas pipeline, stretching from Asaluyeh to Chabahar, carries 120 million cubic meters of gas daily, with a segment allocated for gas export to Pakistan.”

He noted, “Despite the contract for this project being signed a decade ago, sanctions impeded its execution by the Pakistani side. While the previous government faced setbacks, recent negotiations led Pakistan to express renewed interest in revitalizing the project. We stand ready to progress once Pakistan initiates its operational activities.”