‘Dangerous Escalation’: Iran Strikes World’s Largest LNG Export Facility

[Matthew] Global oil and natural gas prices

have surged again after Iran carried out missile attacks

on the world's largest liquified

natural gas facility in Qatar.

Qatar Energy confirmed its facilities

at Ras Laffan had been attacked,

causing sizable fires and extensive further damage.

The Qatari government called it a dangerous escalation

in the ongoing conflict.

The Iranian strikes on Wednesday

and the early hours of Thursday

came after Israel attacked Iran's South Pars gasfield,

ownership of which is shared with Qatar.

Writing on his Truth Social platform,

US President Donald Trump said that Israel had acted out

of anger and carried out the attack without

US involvement or knowledge.

Trump said Israel would not target the gasfield again,

but warned of direct US strikes against South Pars

if Ras Laffan was attacked once more.

Production and suppliers have been suspended

at Ras Laffan Industrial City since early March

following US and Israeli strikes against Iran,

retaliatory attacks by Iran

against its neighbors in the Gulf,

and the effective closure of Strait of Hormuz.

But the attacks against South Pars and Ras Laffan

and the threat of further attacks against South Pars

by Trump represent a major escalation.

Because even if shipments are able to resume,

future production could be impacted for some time

because of damaged and destroyed infrastructure.

Qatar is second only to the United States in terms

of total exports of LNG, and countries in Asia, Europe,

and Africa rely on Qatar for the majority of their supplies.