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Iranian attacks caused fires and extensive damage at Qatar’s Ras Laffan area, which houses the world’s largest LNG production facility, after a warning by the IRGC.
Qatar’s Ras Laffan Industrial City came under Iranian attack. (Photo: X)
Iran carried out attacks on energy infrastructure in Gulf countries, sparking fires at key facilities in Qatar and interceptions in Saudi Arabia, after a warning by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on Wednesday following an Israeli attack on Iran’s South Pars gas field.
Qatar’s Ministry of Interior reported a fire in the Ras Laffan Industrial City, which houses the world’s largest LNG production facility, after an “Iranian targeting.” QatarEnergy, the world’s second-largest LNG exporter, also confirmed “extensive damage” to its main gas facility after the Iranian attack.
“Emergency response teams were deployed immediately to contain the resulting fires, as extensive damage has been caused. All personnel have been accounted for and no casualties have been reported at this time,” the company said.
Qatar said it came under an Iranian attack, involving five ballistic missiles. “Civil Defence has initially brought the fire in Ras Laffan under control, with no injuries reported,” the ministry said.
Qatar’s Foreign Affairs Ministry condemned the strikes as a “flagrant violation of the state’s sovereignty, as well as a direct threat to its national security.” It reiterated its call for Iran to refrain from targeting civilian facilities and energy infrastructure.
The ministry accused Iran of persisting in “targeting it and neighbouring countries, pursuing an irresponsible approach that undermines regional security and threatens international peace.” It also alleged that Iran has pursued escalatory politics that “are pushing the region towards the abyss”, warning that it would not hesitate to respond to such threats.
Ras Laffan, located 80 km north of Doha, is an energy-industry hub and hosts several international companies.
Why Is Iran Attacking Gulf Energy Sites?
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia’s Defence Ministry said it intercepted four ballistic missiles heading towards oil facilities in the capital, Riyadh. Debris fell in various parts of the city, injuring four people.
Iran had earlier issued an evacuation warning for several oil facilities across Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar, including the Ras Laffan Refinery, saying they would be targeted by strikes “in the coming hours.”
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This came after the Israeli Air Force struck a natural gas processing facility in Iran, marking a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict. According to Iran’s semi-official Tasnim News Agency, multiple facilities at the South Pars gas field were hit. Emergency response teams were deployed to the site and were working to extinguish fires triggered by the attack.
Gulf countries warned against attacks on energy infrastructure, and Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian warned of “uncontrolled consequences” after the Israel strike. The United Arab Emirates said the Israeli targeting of energy infrastructure in Iran represents “a direct threat to global energy security.”
The incidents mark a significant escalation in regional tensions as critical energy infrastructure is increasingly drawn into the conflict, heightening risks to global energy markets and regional stability.
March 19, 2026, 01:25 IST
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