Infernos and Accusations: Is Israel Behind Iran’s Mystery Blasts?

Over the past two weeks, Iran has been hit by a series of unexplained fires and explosions targeting oil refineries, apartment complexes, roads near airports, and even a shoe factory, occurring at a rate of one to two incidents daily. According to *The New York Times* and *News 13*, Iranian officials, including a member of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), privately suspect these are deliberate acts of sabotage by Israel, though they avoid public accusations to prevent escalating into another war following the fragile ceasefire on June 23, 2025. Notable incidents include a deadly fire at the Abadan oil refinery, an explosion in a Qom apartment complex allegedly rented by operatives who left gas on intentionally, and a blast in a Tehran high-rise housing judicial employees, possibly targeting Iran’s judiciary.

Publicly, Iranian authorities attribute these events to accidents like gas leaks or aging infrastructure, but skepticism is rife among citizens, especially in cities like Kashan near nuclear sites, where fear of Israeli covert operations grows. A European official specializing in Iran affairs also assessed these as likely Israeli sabotage. Israel has neither confirmed nor denied involvement, though a June 2025 speech by Mossad’s director celebrated recent operations in Iran, and a Farsi-language social media account linked to Mossad mocked the incidents.

The death of IRGC commander Brig. Gen. Gholamhossein Gheybparvar, officially attributed to old injuries, has further fueled suspicions. Meanwhile, *News 13* reported that Iran transferred $100 million to Hamas in Turkey last month, unable to deliver it to Gaza, to maintain Hamas as an anti-Israel proxy, alongside continued funding for Hezbollah.

To save face, Iranian commander Ismail Qaani dismissed the recent explosions all across Iran:

He said, “These are not mysterious. They were all gas pipeline explosions caused by natural wear and tear. I confirmed this myself.”