Thick black smoke still rose over Tehran on Sunday morning, streets and cars were covered in soot, balconies were caked in black residue, and residents breathed in toxic air after overnight airstrikes on the city’s oil depots, The Guardian reports.
People sent messages and voice notes describing scenes in their homes and on the streets as «apocalyptic.» With the sun obscured by smoke, many had to switch on lights to see through the gloom.
Video geolocated by CNN shows a large fire burning near a petrol storage facility in northeastern Tehran on Saturday. The Israeli military said it struck fuel storage sites in the city that evening. Follow live updates: https://t.co/dGpmK4mLor pic.twitter.com/yHspVnEEFR
— CNN (@CNN) March 8, 2026
Four oil depots and a petroleum logistics site in and around the capital were struck, with local authorities reporting six deaths and 20 injuries at one of the sites. Citizen journalist videos showed massive flames lighting the night sky and smoke still billowing from the storage facilities.
As rain fell on the city of 10 mln, authorities warned of toxic acid rain, with residents reporting burning eyes and sore throats. Iran’s environmental agency advised people to remain indoors. The Red Crescent said chemicals could cause acid rain, irritate skin and lungs, and recommended avoiding air conditioners or going outside immediately after rainfall while protecting exposed food. Tehran’s governor urged wearing masks outdoors.
NEW: Black rain pours down on Tehran, Iran following Israeli strikes on oil facilities Saturday night.
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) March 8, 2026
«I want to show you something…» CNN’s @fpleitgenCNN said.
“This is a white car … the rain is actually apparently saturated with oil. You can see on my finger that it's… pic.twitter.com/np6HNDDLcV
Dr Shahram Kordasti, a UK-based Iranian haemato-oncologist, said the toxic gases and fine particulates could aggravate asthma, lung and heart conditions, irritate eyes and airways, and increase the risk of some cancers.
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