Tehran Escalates Gulf Energy Strikes After Israel Targets Iranian Gas Field

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran escalated its attacks on the energy infrastructure of its Gulf Arab neighbors on Thursday, setting Qatari liquefied natural gas facilities and two Kuwaiti oil refineries ablaze. This action was a direct response to an Israeli attack on Iran’s main natural gas field, marking a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. The situation has led to soaring global fuel prices.

A ship burned off the coast of the United Arab Emirates, while another was damaged near Qatar, highlighting the persistent danger faced by vessels due to Iran’s control over the Strait of Hormuz.

Qatar, a major supplier of natural gas to world markets, reported that firefighters managed to put out a fire at a major LNG facility after it was attacked by Iranian missiles. Production had already been halted there following earlier attacks, but the latest wave of missile strikes caused “sizeable fires and extensive further damage.” The damage could delay Qatar’s ability to supply its market even after the war ends.

A drone attack on Kuwait’s Mina Al-Ahmadi refinery sparked a fire but did not result in any injuries, according to the state-run KUNA news agency. The refinery is one of the largest in the Middle East, with a petroleum production capacity of 730,000 barrels per day. Shortly after, a drone attack set ablaze the nearby Mina Abdullah refinery, as reported by authorities.

Abu Dhabi officials stated that operations at its Habshan gas facility and Bab field were forced to shut down due to Iranian overnight attacks, which they described as a “dangerous escalation.”

Gulf States Condemn Iranian Attacks on Energy Infrastructure

Missile alert sirens sounded in multiple areas around the Gulf, and Israel warned of incoming Iranian fire. Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates all condemned the Iranian attacks. Saudi Arabia’s top diplomat stated that assaults on the kingdom have completely shattered what little trust remained.

In morning trading, Brent crude oil, the international standard, exceeded $110 a barrel, rising more than 50% since Israel and the United States launched their war on Iran on February 28 with strikes on the country.

Iran Strikes Back After Israel Hits Critical Gas Field

The series of Iranian attacks followed an Israeli strike on South Pars, the world’s largest gas field located offshore in the Persian Gulf and jointly owned by Iran and Qatar. With approximately 80% of all power generated in Iran coming from natural gas, according to the Paris-based International Energy Agency, the attack directly threatens the country’s electricity supplies. Natural gas is also used for household heating and cooking across the Islamic Republic.

According to the New York-based Soufan Center, hitting the gas field represents a “clear expansion of the conflict.” The think tank noted that Israel’s target selection in this war has heavily focused on institutions, leaders, and infrastructure. It now seeks to inflict additional pressure on the regime by making the living conditions for civilians intolerable.

Iran condemned the strike on South Pars, with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian warning of “uncontrollable consequences” that “could engulf the entire world.” In Washington, President Donald Trump stated that Israel would not attack South Pars again, but he warned on social media that if Iran continued attacking Qatar’s energy infrastructure, the U.S. would retaliate and “massively blow up the entirety” of the field.

“I do not want to authorize this level of violence and destruction because of the long term implications that it will have on the future of Iran,” Trump said on social media.

Energy Infrastructure Targeted Around the Gulf Region

Qatar Energy reported on X that a missile hit on its massive Ras Laffan LNG facility caused a blaze early Thursday. A ship was also hit off the country’s coast, according to the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center. It was unclear whether the ship was deliberately targeted or struck by falling debris as Qatar fired off missile interceptors at incoming Iranian barrages.

Saudi Arabia also reported shooting down Iranian drones targeting its natural gas facilities overnight, while authorities in Abu Dhabi shut down the Habshan gas facility and Bab field after intercepting threats over the sites.

Another ship was set ablaze early Thursday off the UAE coast. It was also unclear whether it was targeted or hit with debris, the UKMTO said. The vessel was near the mouth of the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world’s oil is normally shipped.

More than 20 vessels have been attacked during the Iran war so far as Tehran has maintained a tight grip on shipping traffic through the waterway, which leads from the Persian Gulf to the open ocean. Iran insists the waterway is open, just not to the U.S. or its allies, and while some vessels have sailed through, it has only been a trickle.

Iran Executes Three Men Detained During January Protests

Iran announced the execution of three men detained during January’s nationwide protests, the first such sentences known to have been carried out, according to the judiciary’s Mizan news agency. The men were accused of stabbing two police officers to death in Qom, some 130 kilometers (80 miles) south of the capital, Tehran, during the protests.

Iran suppressed the demonstrations with intense violence that killed thousands of people and saw tens of thousands others detained. Activists have warned that authorities might carry out mass executions of those detained. Iran has long been accused by rights campaigners of extracting coerced confessions from detainees and not allowing them to fully defend themselves in court.

Death Toll Climbs in Third Week of War

More than 1,300 people in Iran have been killed during the war. Israeli strikes have displaced more than 1 million Lebanese—roughly 20% of the population—according to the Lebanese government, which says 968 people have been killed. In Israel, 15 people have been killed by Iranian missile fire, including a Thai agricultural worker who died overnight after being hit with shrapnel. Three people were also killed in the occupied West Bank overnight by an Iranian missile strike, the Palestinian Red Crescent said.

At least 13 U.S. military members have been killed.