Iran’s key energy infrastructure has come under attack after its massive South Pars Gas Field in the Gulf was struck, marking a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict involving the United States and Israel.
The strike, reported on Wednesday, is the first known attack targeting Iran’s energy facilities in the Gulf since hostilities intensified. The gas field shared between Iran and Qatar is the largest natural gas reserve in the world.
Iranian state media said parts of a refinery and gas storage tanks were hit, prompting the evacuation of workers as emergency responders battled a fire at the site.
While Israeli media reports suggested the attack was carried out by Israel with U.S. backing, there has been no immediate official confirmation from the Israeli military.
Qatar, a close ally of the United States, described the strike as an Israeli operation and warned of its wider implications. A spokesperson for Qatar’s foreign ministry called it a “dangerous and irresponsible” escalation that threatens global energy stability.
Tensions escalated further after Iran’s Revolutionary Guards issued a warning to neighbouring Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, urging evacuation of key energy facilities.
“These centres have become direct and legitimate targets and will be targeted in the coming hours. Therefore, all citizens, residents, and employees are requested to immediately leave these areas and move to a safe distance without any delay,” Iranian state media cited authorities as saying.
The warning specifically mentioned critical facilities such as Saudi Arabia’s Samref Refinery and Jubail Petrochemical Complex, the UAE’s Al Hosn Gas Field, and Qatar’s Mesaieed industrial hubs.
The development marks a shift in the three-week conflict, during which both sides had largely avoided direct attacks on energy infrastructure due to fears of disrupting global supply chains. Analysts warn that such strikes could trigger retaliatory attacks on other major oil and gas producers, further destabilising global markets.
Meanwhile, the conflict has intensified on multiple fronts. In Beirut, Israeli airstrikes hit central districts, destroying buildings in some of the heaviest bombardments seen in decades.
Israel also claimed to have killed Iran’s intelligence minister, Esmail Khatib, a development later confirmed by Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. The strike followed the reported killing of senior security figure Ali Larijani a day earlier.
“No one in Iran has immunity and everyone is in the crosshairs,” said Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz, adding that military forces had been authorised to target senior Iranian officials without requiring further political approval.
In response, Iran launched missile attacks targeting Israeli cities, including Tel Aviv, Haifa, and Beersheba, as well as U.S. military bases across the Gulf region.
The escalating conflict has already begun to impact global energy markets. Fuel prices have surged, with diesel costs in the United States reportedly climbing above $5 per gallon for the first time since the 2022 inflation spike.
Beyond the battlefield, the humanitarian toll continues to rise. Reports indicate thousands have been killed in Iran since the conflict began, while hundreds of thousands have been displaced in Lebanon. Casualties have also been recorded in Israel and other parts of the region as the war expands.
The latest developments signal a dangerous new phase in the conflict, with critical energy infrastructure now in the line of fire and regional stability increasingly at risk.
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