The Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has warned that recent Israeli strikes on Iranian oil facilities could have a negative impact on public health.

Ghebreyesus said that the damage to Iran’s oil refineries poses a risk to food, water, and air pollution. These threats could have serious health consequences, particularly for children, the elderly, and people with chronic diseases. Oil-soaked rain has been recorded in some parts of the country, the WHO chief warned in an article published on X.

Israel said it had struck several fuel depots in Tehran that it claims are used for military infrastructure operations. The strikes sent huge flares and thick clouds of black smoke over Tehran. An Al Jazeera correspondent reported seeing black raindrops falling early Sunday morning.