US President Donald Trump said late on Wednesday on his Truth Social platform that Israel would make no more attacks on the South Pars gas field after Iran struck liquefied natural gas facilities in Qatar in retaliation for earlier Israeli strikes. He also warned that the United States would ‘massively blow up the entirety of the South Pars Gas Field’ if Tehran continued targeting Qatari LNG sites, and claimed the US ‘knew nothing about this particular attack’ — a statement at odds with reporting from Axios and comments by Israeli officials who have said the strike occurred with Washington’s knowledge and approval.
Iran fired missiles at Qatar’s Ras Laffan industrial area twice in recent days, sparking large fires and causing what QatarEnergy described as extensive damage; no injuries were reported and civil defense teams later said all fires were under control. Ras Laffan is a major LNG export hub. South Pars, the world’s largest natural gas field, is jointly owned by Iran and Qatar and supplies a substantial portion of regional gas output.
The exchanges have driven energy prices higher: Brent crude jumped more than 5% early Thursday following the Iranian strikes and subsequent threats against Gulf energy infrastructure. Tehran has tightened its control over the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz since US and Israeli strikes began, and an Iranian lawmaker said the country is considering charging a toll on vessels transiting the waterway, a move that could monetize Tehran’s leverage and act as a sanction against Western shipping.
A string of related incidents across the Gulf has added to tensions:
– Kuwait reported drone strikes that ignited limited fires at the Mina Al-Ahmadi and Mina Abdullah refineries; no casualties were reported.
– Saudi authorities said a drone crashed near the Samref refinery in Yanbu and that a ballistic missile had been intercepted earlier; both Aramco and ExxonMobil use facilities at that site.
– Qatar confirmed renewed Iranian strikes on Ras Laffan overnight, causing further damage following an earlier wave of attacks.
– Saudi Arabia warned Iran to cease 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 impacts go beyond oil and gas. A near-total internet shutdown inside Iran, imposed amid the fighting and security clampdowns, has crippled e-commerce and disrupted many online services. Industry sources say online trade has almost halted as common workarounds and VPNs have been made ineffective.
Diplomatic and political fallout continues to mount. Iran has written to the United Nations seeking compensation from the United Arab Emirates, accusing the UAE of facilitating US attacks on Iranian territory. China condemned the killing of Iran’s national security chief, Ali Larijani, calling it ‘unacceptable’ and urged an immediate halt to military operations to prevent wider escalation. Iran executed three men convicted of killing two police officers during nationwide unrest in January, and Tehran has accused foreign actors of instigating those protests. Meanwhile, Iran’s football federation chief said the national team would ‘boycott the United States’ but would still participate in the World Cup, and officials have discussed relocating 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 as the confrontation in the Gulf continues to unfold.