US and Israel Plan Strikes on Iranian Energy Infrastructure Amid Fears of Devastating Retaliation

The US and Israel are planning joint strikes on Iran's power plants and oil refineries, which could trigger another round of retaliation from Iranian forces. In March 2026, after Israel struck Iran's South Pars gas field, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps destroyed two production units at Qatar's Ras Laffan Industrial City, causing $58 billion in damage to Gulf energy facilities.

Qatar's Energy Minister Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi described the extent of the damage as 'The cold boxes are gone,' and said repairs would take between three and five years. The US and Israel are now actively planning to give Iran the trigger for retaliation, with President Donald Trump saying they want to 'win' the conflict.

The target set by the US and Israel focuses on power generation and petroleum refining capacity, which is essential to Iran's ability to provide services and govern effectively. However, this strategy carries a documented counter-logic: Iran has an established and repeatable retaliation playbook against US-allied Gulf energy infrastructure.