Israel launched airstrikes against the world’s largest natural gas field in Iran, signalling an escalation of its targeting of energy infrastructure.
Videos shared on social media showed the South Pars natural gas field in southern Iran engulfed in flames. Iranian state media confirmed the strike, saying firefighters were working to extinguish the flames. Around the same time, facilities at the Asaluyeh refinery complex were also hit. The strikes mark the first U.S.-Israeli attack on Iranian energy production infrastructure of the war, signalling a further escalation of the conflict.
The strike was conducted with the Trump administration’s coordination and approval, sources told Axios.
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A previous strike on oil storage facilities outside Tehran on March 8 by the Israeli Air Force was highly controversial and angered Washington, which forbade any further attacks on Iran’s energy infrastructure unless direct approval was given.
Despite the approval of Washington, other U.S. allies weren’t pleased with the South Pars strike. The natural gas field is jointly owned by Qatar, which reacted with anger.
“The Israeli targeting of facilities linked to Iran’s South Pars field, an extension of Qatar’s North Field, is a dangerous & irresponsible step amid the current military escalation in the region,” Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed Al Ansari wrote on X. “Targeting energy infrastructure constitutes a threat to global energy security, as well as to the peoples of the region & its environment.”
Gulf allies are worried about the strikes over fears that Iran will retaliate against their own oil and gas infrastructure. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-linked Tasnim News appeared to confirm the fears shortly after, warning residents of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar to immediately evacuate the countries’ oil and gas facilities.
“These centres have become direct and legitimate targets and will be targeted 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 said.
Saudi Arabia’s Samref Refinery and Jubail Petrochemical Complex, the UAE’s Al Hosn Gas Field, and Qatar’s Mesaieed Petrochemical Complex and Ras Laffan Refinery were specifically listed as targets.
“Previously, clear and repeated warnings were given to your rulers about entering this dangerous path and gambling with the fate of their nations,” the warning added.
Oil and gas infrastructure in the three countries has already come under concentrated attack from Iran in the war. The UAE’s Abu Dhabi National Oil Company’s Ruwais refinery, the largest oil refinery in the Middle East, was hit by Iranian drones on March 10, briefly shutting down production.
Iran has systematically targeted Gulf oil infrastructure and harassed shipping through the Strait of Hormuz as a way to inflict maximum global economic damage in an effort to pressure the U.S. and Israel to back down from their strikes.
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However, the most intensive air campaign of the 21st century has all but annihilated Tehran’s missile capabilities and drastically reduced its drone capabilities. Iran’s missile barrages have declined by over 90% since the beginning of the war, with drone salvos declining a similar amount.
The U.S. and Israel have refrained from attacking Iranian oil and gas infrastructure before Wednesday over fears of the global economic damage, despite the energy industry being the primary money maker for Tehran. Some analysts fear such attacks could also alienate the Iranian population, many of whom are hostile towards the regime.