Iran Targets Gulf Energy Facilities in Retaliation for Israeli Strikes
Iran launched aerial attacks on major energy facilities across the Gulf, causing extensive damage to Qatar's largest gas plant and forcing the UAE to shut down its gas facilities. The strikes, which drew a furious response from U.S. President Donald Trump, targeted Ras Laffan in Qatar, where several international companies including Shell have operations.
The attacks also hit Kuwait's Mina al-Ahmadi and Mina Abdullah refineries, setting off fires at both sites, while a drone fell on the Aramco-Exxon refinery in Saudi Arabia. The UAE intercepted missiles early Thursday morning, shutting down gas facilities but reporting no injuries.
QatarEnergy said its emergency response team was deployed immediately to contain fires caused by the attack, with all fires at Ras Laffan brought under control by early Thursday. The energy major has a 30% stake in a 7.8 million-metric-tons-a-year LNG facility and investments in yet-to-produce LNG plants at Ras Laffan.
Trump warned Iran not to attack Qatari LNG facilities again, threatening to 'massively blow up the entirety of the South Pars Gas Field' if it did so. Qatar's foreign ministry condemned the attack as a 'direct threat' to its national security and accused Iran of taking an 'irresponsible approach.'