Satellite images show multiple oil spills in the region following US-Israeli strikes on Iran's oil facilities and vessels, CNN reports, citing data of European Space Agency's Sentinel-2 mission.

The spills, some spanning kilometers near Iran's Qeshm and Lavan Islands, threaten marine life, coral reefs and the livelihoods of coastal communities.

Experts warn of a potential ecological catastrophe.

Wim Zwijnenburg of Dutch peace organization PAX told CNN that spills are reaching protected areas like Shidvar Island in the Persian Gulf, home to turtles and seabirds, calling the hit on Lavan a "major environmental emergency."

Zwijnenburg warned that these spills could affect thousands of people, especially those living along Iran's coast, contaminating the fish they rely on.

Greenpeace Germany spokesperson Nina Noelle noted that cleaning the oil is extremely difficult due to the Gulf's "structural complexity, limited accessibility and challenging working conditions."

Last month, residents in Iran capital Tehran suffered a black, oily and toxic rain after an overnight US-Israeli air strike on multiple oil facilities. Iran's Red Crescent warned the rainfall may be "highly dangerous and acidic," with a potential of causing chemical skin burns and severe lung damage.

"Damage to petroleum facilities in #Iran risks contaminating food, water and air – hazards that can have severe health impacts especially on children, older people, and people with pre existing medical conditions," Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the World Health Organization, said on the X platform.