TEHRAN — Israeli forces struck more than 30 oil facilities across Iran on the night of March 7–8, followed by days of thick black smoke covering the skies over Tehran. By March 8, the skies over the Iranian capital had been darkened by the strikes.

The Conflict and Environment Observatory analyzed footage from Tehran that showed burning oil leaking from a damaged petrochemical facility into a nearby sewer system. Black carbon was among the pollutants released during the oil fires in Tehran, a substance associated with acute respiratory problems. U.S. officials later questioned the strategic rationale of the strikes.

Pollution from burning fuel and explosives produces toxic particles that settle onto land and water, where they can damage soil, forests, and crops, disrupt nutrient cycles, and contaminate water. Contamination in soil, water, and debris often is slower to detect and harder to quantify in conflict zones. Pollutants released by burning fuel and explosives can create longer-term risks beyond the immediate blast zone, according to the Climate and Community Institute.

Emissions from the strikes on Iran's oil facilities extended beyond the immediate fires. Researchers estimate that each missile strike releases roughly 0.14 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent, about the same as driving a car for 350 miles. Emissions from the strikes include those from the strike itself and the embodied carbon tied to missile production and supply chain. Additional emissions come from aircraft sorties, naval operations, fires, fuel consumption, and reconstruction.