Doha, Qatar. Iran fired missiles at gas infrastructure in Qatar and Saudi Arabia after Israel struck Iran’s South Pars gas field, prompting U.S. President Donald Trump to warn of the facility’s total destruction if Iran continued its attacks.
Trump warning and U.S. position
Trump said the United States had no advance knowledge of Israel’s strike and described Israel as having “violently lashed out” in anger. He ruled out further Israeli strikes on South Pars unless Iran retaliated against Qatar.
“In which instance the United States of America, with or without the help or consent of Israel, will massively blow up the entirety of the South Pars Gas Field at an amount of strength and power that Iran has never seen or witnessed before,” Trump posted on X.
Damage reports in Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE
QatarEnergy reported extensive damage and sizeable fires at several liquefied natural gas facilities at Ras Laffan Industrial City following Iranian missile strikes on Wednesday and Thursday. The facility processes roughly a fifth of the world’s gas supply.
Saudi Arabia said it intercepted four ballistic missiles aimed at Riyadh and thwarted a drone attack on an eastern gas facility.
The UAE shut down its Habshan gas facility after intercepting missiles in what its foreign ministry described as a terrorist attack.
South Pars and regional energy concerns
South Pars is Iran’s share of the world’s largest natural gas deposit, which it shares with Qatar, a close U.S. ally and host of the largest American military base in the Gulf. Wednesday’s strike drove oil prices higher and prompted Tehran to threaten further attacks on energy targets across the region.
Reporting on Israeli plans
The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump had approved Israel’s plan to strike the gas field.
Riyadh meeting and diplomatic reaction
Foreign ministers from 12 Muslim-majority countries meeting in Riyadh condemned Iran’s strikes on Gulf neighbours and called for an immediate halt. Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan said pressure from Iran would “backfire politically and morally” and reserved the right to military action if necessary.
Interceptors were seen fired from near the hotel where the conference was held as ministers gathered.
Potential U.S. troop deployments
Trump is considering deploying thousands of additional U.S. troops to the Middle East, potentially to secure safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint for a fifth of global oil trade, according to a U.S. official and three people familiar with the planning.
Casualties and displacement
More than 3,000 people have been killed in Iran since U.S. and Israeli attacks began on 28 February, according to the U.S.-based human rights group HRANA. Lebanese authorities said 900 people have been killed in the country and 800,000 displaced.
Iranian attacks have also caused casualties in Iraq and across Gulf states, and at least 13 U.S. service members have been killed in the conflict.
How do you think escalating strikes on energy infrastructure could affect global energy supplies?