US President Donald Trump said late on Wednesday that “no more attacks will be made by Israel” on the South Pars gas field in the Persian Gulf, after Iran struck liquified natural gas (LNG) facilities in Qatar in retaliation for earlier Israeli strikes. In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump also threatened to “massively blow up the entirety of the South Pars Gas Field” if Tehran continued to target Qatari LNG sites. He added the United States “knew nothing about this particular attack” on South Pars, a claim that contradicts reporting from Axios and comments by Israeli officials that the strike was carried out with Washington’s knowledge and approval.
Iran fired missiles at Qatar’s Ras Laffan industrial area twice in recent days, causing sizable fires and “extensive damage,” according to QatarEnergy, though no injuries were reported. Qatari authorities later said civil defense teams had brought all fires under control. Ras Laffan is a major LNG hub; South Pars, the world’s largest natural gas field, is jointly owned by Iran and Qatar and supplies a large share of regional gas output.
The exchanges have pushed energy markets higher: Brent crude rose more than 5% early Thursday after the Iranian strikes and threats against Gulf energy infrastructure. Tehran has maintained a tightened grip on the Strait of Hormuz since US and Israeli strikes began, prompting a lawmaker to say Iran was considering imposing a toll on vessels transiting the waterway — a move that could monetize Tehran’s leverage and act as a sanction against the West.
The conflict has seen a string of related incidents across the Gulf:
– Kuwait reported drone attacks that ignited limited fires at the Mina Al-Ahmadi and Mina Abdullah refineries; no injuries were reported.
– Saudi authorities said a drone crashed near the Samref refinery in Yanbu and that a ballistic missile had been intercepted earlier; Aramco and ExxonMobil use that site.
– Qatar confirmed renewed Iranian strikes on Ras Laffan overnight, causing further damage after an earlier wave of attacks.
– Saudi Arabia warned Iran to stop attacks on neighboring states and said it “reserves the right to take military action” if necessary. Interceptor missiles were reportedly seen over Riyadh during a meeting of regional foreign ministers.
The fallout extends beyond oil and gas. Iran’s near-total internet shutdown, imposed during the fighting and security clampdowns, has crippled e-commerce and disrupted many online services across the country. Industry sources reported a near-complete halt to online trade as VPNs and usual workarounds have been rendered ineffective.
Diplomatic and political repercussions continue to mount:
– Iran wrote to the UN seeking compensation from the United Arab Emirates, accusing the UAE of enabling US attacks on Iranian territory.
– China condemned the killing of Iran’s national security chief Ali Larijani as “unacceptable” and urged an immediate cessation of military operations to prevent wider escalation.
– Iran executed three men convicted of killing two police officers during nationwide unrest in January; Tehran accused foreign actors of instigating the protests.
– Iran’s football federation chief said the national team would “boycott the United States” but not the World Cup, and officials have discussed moving Iran’s group-stage matches to Mexico and Canada.
The situation remains volatile. US and regional leaders have issued stark warnings while energy markets and maritime traffic face heightened uncertainty.
