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Iran threatens Persian Gulf energy facilities

2026-03-18 18:23:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Iran has threatened to attack energy infrastructure across the Gulf region in retaliation for Israeli attacks on its largest gas field, the first targeted attacks on fossil fuel production since the start of the war.

Iran's Revolutionary Guard has threatened counterattacks on several energy facilities in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar "in the coming hours" after state media reported that missiles had targeted its gas facilities in the giant South Pars field, the world's largest gas reserves.

The attacks on Iran's South Pars gas field, which it shares with Qatar, were widely reported in Israeli media as being carried out by Israel with the consent of the US.

The attack on the heart of Iran's gas infrastructure marks a key escalation in US and Israeli military operations. Both countries have so far largely spared Iran's oil and gas sector and helped keep the global oil price surge in check.

Oil prices climbed toward $110 a barrel on Wednesday afternoon as the growing threat to Gulf oil and gas infrastructure fueled concerns about more disruptions to global supplies amid the ongoing blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.

Iranian state media identified Saudi Arabia's Samref refinery and Jubail petrochemical complex, the United Arab Emirates' al-Hosn gas field and Qatar's Mesaieed petrochemical complex and holding company, as well as the Ras Laffan refinery as targets of the regime.

"These centers have become direct and legitimate targets and will be targets 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," the warning states.

Eskandar Pasalar, the governor of Asaluyeh in southern Iran, condemned the US-Israeli escalation as "political suicide." He told Iranian state media that "the pendulum of war has shifted" toward a "full-scale economic war."

A Qatari government spokesman, Majid al-Ansari, warned that targeting energy infrastructure "poses a threat to global energy security, as well as to the people of the region and its environment."

The international price of oil rose by up to 5%, reaching a peak of $108.60 (£81.48) per barrel, while the price of gas in Europe rose by more than 7.5%, reaching over €55.50 (£47.95) per megawatt hour./CNA, translated by The Guardian