New Delhi, Mar 19: A widening arc of attacks across the Gulf has raised fears of a broader regional conflict after Iran struck key energy installations in multiple neighbouring countries, in retaliation for an Israeli strike on its vital South Pars gas field, according to international media reports including the BBC.
On the 20th day of the war, officials in Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates reported missile and drone incidents targeting strategic oil and gas infrastructure, underlining the vulnerability of global energy supplies to the escalating confrontation.
Qatar said Iranian missiles hit the Ras Laffan Industrial City, home to the world’s largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) processing complex, causing a fire and “extensive damage.” In an immediate action and diplomatic response, Doha ordered Iranian security and military attaches to leave the country, signalling a rapid deterioration in ties.
Saudi Arabia struck an equally severe tone, with officials declaring that “the little trust that remained in Iran has been completely shattered,” as a drone crash at the Samref refinery in Yanbu added to regional concerns.
In Kuwait, authorities confirmed drone strikes on both the Mina al-Ahmadi and Mina Abdullah refineries, triggering fires but causing no casualties. The UAE, meanwhile, reported incidents at the Habshan gas facility and the Bab oilfield, where debris from intercepted missiles fell near critical infrastructure, forcing temporary shutdowns.
The coordinated nature of the attacks suggests a calibrated Iranian response aimed at raising the cost of the earlier strike on South Pars, part of the world’s largest natural gas reserve shared with Qatar. Iranian media outlets linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps have reportedly identified potential targets across the Gulf, including in Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar.
US signals conditional de-escalation
Amid the spiralling tensions, US President Donald Trump indicated a possible pause in attacks on Iran’s energy infrastructure, provided Tehran refrains from further escalation. In a strongly worded post on Truth Social, Trump said Israel would halt further strikes on the South Pars gas field unless Iran carried out additional attacks on regional states, particularly Qatar.
“NO MORE ATTACKS WILL BE MADE BY ISRAEL… unless Iran unwisely decides to attack… Qatar,” he wrote, adding that the United States had “no prior knowledge” of the Israeli strike and that Qatar was “in no way… involved with it.”
Trump criticised Iran’s retaliatory strike on Ras Laffan as “unjustifiable and unfair,” warning of severe consequences if such actions continue. He went as far as to threaten that the US could “massively blow up the entirety of the South Pars Gas Field” if Iran targets Qatar again, though he also stressed reluctance to escalate. “I do not want to authorize this level of violence and destruction because of the long term implications,” he said.
Earlier, Trump had signalled opposition to continued strikes on Iranian energy infrastructure, suggesting Washington believes its deterrent message has been delivered.
Iran warns of wider consequences
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian warned that the conflict could spiral beyond control. Quoted by the BBC, he cautioned that attacks on energy infrastructure could trigger consequences that might “engulf the entire world.”
The warning reflects growing alarm among Gulf states, which now find themselves directly exposed to the fallout of the Iran-Israel confrontation. Qatar’s foreign ministry condemned the strike on South Pars as “reckless and irresponsible,” warning that it threatens regional stability and global energy security.
Strategic significance of South Pars
At the centre of the crisis lies the South Pars/North Dome field, a large shared gas reserve straddling Iranian and Qatari waters. While Iran controls South Pars, Qatar operates the North Dome (also known as the North Field), making the site a cornerstone of global LNG supply.
Geologically a single structure, the field was first discovered in Qatari waters in 1971, with Iran confirming its extension decades later. Its vast reserves, embedded deep beneath the seabed in ancient reservoir rocks, account for a significant portion of both countries’ gas output.
Analysts cited by international media suggest that Washington’s position, linking Israeli restraint to reciprocal restraint by Iran, may represent the first tentative channel of indirect communication between the adversaries since the conflict began. If sustained, this conditional pause could open the door to limited de-escalation. However, with active strikes now spreading across multiple Gulf states and trust rapidly eroding, the region remains on edge, with the risk of further escalation still high.
