Iran-Israel conflict escalates with strikes on South Pars and Ras Laffan

Energy infrastructure targeted as Tehran and Israel respond to U.S.-led attacks

The ongoing conflict involving Iran, Israel, and the United States has reached a new phase, with direct strikes on energy infrastructure in both Iran and Qatar. What began with U.S. and Israeli attacks on February 28 has now expanded to the region’s gas and oil facilities, raising tensions across the Gulf.

Israel, with authorization from Donald Trump, targeted the South Pars gas field in southwestern Iran, a massive deposit shared with Qatar. In response, Tehran launched missiles toward Qatar, striking the Ras Laffan site, the world’s largest liquefied natural gas facility.

Qatar condemned the attack, declared the strike “dangerous and irresponsible,” and expelled two Iranian diplomats — the military and security attachés — declaring them persona non grata.

The escalation marks a shift from nearly 20 days of conflict and raises the stakes significantly. The United States also bombed Kharg Island, a central hub of Iran’s oil operations, while avoiding refineries and storage facilities. The Strait of Hormuz remains effectively blocked, disrupting crude traffic in the Gulf.

Trump has not ruled out further action to seize Kharg Island and Iran’s oil resources. U.S. reinforcements, including 2,200 Marines aboard the USS Tripoli, are being deployed. Israeli broadcaster Kan TV suggested that U.S. forces could aim to control the entire strait within two weeks.

The possibility of a ground operation, codenamed Epic Fury, is now considered real. Any attempt to capture Kharg Island could push oil prices even higher, already over $100 per barrel, while Iran could continue targeting tankers and military positions with drones and missiles.

Meanwhile, Israeli strikes hit facilities linked to South Pars. Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf warned that the situation represents a new level of confrontation. Within hours, Iran launched missiles at Ras Laffan: four were intercepted, while one successfully struck the target.

The attack on South Pars drove Brent crude prices to $108 per barrel. Several facilities in Iran’s Special Energy Zone, which supplies about 70% of the country’s gas, were damaged. According to Iranian reports, there were no casualties.

South Pars is one of the world’s most strategic gas fields, covering roughly 9,700 square kilometers, including the North Dome in Qatari waters. It is connected to the Pars Special Economic Energy Zone and the Asaluyeh processing hub, the center of Iran’s gas industry.

The International Energy Agency estimates South Pars contains 50–51 trillion cubic meters of gas and currently produces around 700 million cubic meters per day. Production in Qatar began in 1989, while Iran started in 2002. The Iranian side is divided into 24 development phases, each involving offshore platforms, subsea wells, onshore processing plants, and gas export lines.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard has threatened further retaliation against regional energy infrastructure. Targets include Ras Laffan in Qatar, the Samref refinery in Saudi Arabia, the Al-Hasan gas field in the UAE, the Jubail petrochemical complex in Saudi Arabia, and the Mesaieed complex in Qatar.

Qatar and the UAE both condemned Israel’s strike. Doha warned that attacks on energy facilities threaten global energy security, regional populations, and the environment. The UAE described the action as a dangerous escalation with serious environmental and security consequences.

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(Photo: © AndKronos)