Israel said early Wednesday it struck a plant supplying Iran's theocracy with fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid, to allegedly use in a chemical weapons programme. Iran acknowledged the strike on Tofigh Daru factory, but insisted it only supplied "hospital drugs" used in medical operations. The strike happened Tuesday, both Israel and Iran said.

Iran Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi posted a picture of the factory in Tehran, writing on X: "The war criminals in Israel are now openly and unashamedly bombing pharmaceutical companies." Hospitals extensively use fentanyl to treat severe pain. But a small amount of the drug can be fatal.