Iran refinery strike creates oil spill on protected Shidvar Island

A strike on the Lavan oil refinery on April 9 produced an oil spill that now coats the waters around Shidvar Island, a 870‑hectare wildlife refuge in the Persian Gulf [1]. Mobile‑phone footage posted by Iranian citizen Ehsan Jalali shows thick black smoke rising from the refinery and, moments later, oil‑slicked waves lapping the island’s shore, while dead birds, crabs and a swordfish appear in the frame [2].

Satellite images captured on April 10 by an Airbus DS Pléiades Neo confirm the refinery fire was still burning two days after the attack and reveal a dark oil sheen encircling Shidvar, also known locally as Maroo Island [3]. The island, designated a Ramsar wetland since 1972, hosts one of Iran’s most important tern breeding colonies and serves as a critical habitat for dolphins and other marine life [1].

Iranian officials have not acknowledged any environmental impact from the strike, which occurred hours after the United States and Israel announced a cease‑fire in the ongoing conflict [2]. The U.S. had previously urged Israel to halt attacks on oil infrastructure after a separate strike on the South Pars gas field, a move that sparked a series of Iranian retaliations against Gulf oil and gas sites, notably in Qatar [3].

Media outlets in Iran have blamed the United Arab Emirates for the refinery attack, though Emirati officials have not confirmed involvement. The UAE, which has endured the highest volume of missile and drone fire in the war, also faced a drone assault on its Barakah nuclear plant on the same day [1].

The spill underscores how the war is extending beyond immediate strategic targets to inflict lasting ecological harm. With Shidvar’s fragile ecosystem now coated in oil, the incident raises questions about the capacity of regional actors to mitigate environmental fallout and whether future diplomatic pressure will compel acknowledgment and remediation of such damage.