Iranians warned of acid rain after massive fuel depot fire as 'oil falls from sky'

Tehran was engulfed in flames once again overnight after the latest round of US-Israeli strikes, with the Iranian Red Crescent warning residents of "dangerous" and "highly acidic" rain as a result.

The US and Israel launched strikes that struck refineries and oil storage sites in the Iranian capital on Saturday evening, releasing "significant quantities of toxic hydrocarbon compounds, sulphur and nitrogen oxides".

Footage online shows immense flames and giant plumes of black smoke illuminating the night sky, creating a dystopian and scarcely believable landscape.

Rainfall nearby is said to have left black streaks of oil and dust on buildings while streams of burning oil ran through the streets.

The attack on the fuel depots appears to be the first time a civil or energy industrial facility has been targeted in the war, according to the Associated Press.

The depot was providing for the "entire Iranian war machine", the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said on Sunday, adding not all fuel depots are necessarily legitimate targets.

Residents have been advised to stay indoors by authorities and also to avoid using air conditioners to prevent inhaling dangerous and potentially toxic particles.

Acid rain is any precipitation – rain, snow or fog – that contains higher acidic levels than usual. Normal rain has a pH of around 5.6, whereas acid rain typically has a pH between 4.2 and 4.4.

It can be particularly harmful to the skin and lungs.

Concerns over chemical substances in the smoke rising from the burning oil tanks have been exacerbated by online reports that black powder-like particles are falling to the ground along with the rain.

Iran is currently suffering an internet blackout, with only VPN users managing to gain access to social media sites.

The Iranian Red Crescent Society said on Sunday that around 10,000 civilian structures had been damaged, including homes, schools and medical facilities.

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It comes following Donald Trump's warning on Saturday Iran would be "hit very hard". The Israel Defense Forces described the latest round of strikes as "significant".

A US airstrike is said to have damaged an Iranian desalination plant on Qeshm Island, which is crucial infrastructure for drinking water supplies in areas of the Gulf.

Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, said the strike had cut water supply for 30 villages, and warned: "The US set this precedent, not Iran".

Bahrain had earlier accused Iran of also striking a desalination plant.

This is despite Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian vowing to put a stop to strikes on neighbouring countries on Saturday, insisting: "From now on, do not attack neighbouring countries unless attacked first."

By Sunday, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Bahrain all reported Iranian drone attacks.

The UAE had been accused of striking an Iranian facility, in what would have been its first retaliatory attack in the war, but a senior official denied this was the case.

"The UAE will never place the Iranian people in the same basket as the Iranian regime. The Iranian people are the real victims of that regime and the ones who suffer the most from its policies," Ali Al Nuaimi, Chairman of the UAE’s National Defense Committee, stated.

"As neighbours, we recognise this reality, and we care about their well-being."

The UAE are said to be considering freezing billions of dollars' worth of Iranian assets, according to the Wall Street Journal, which could cripple the country's economy.

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