{"id":7218,"date":"2026-03-19T13:17:43","date_gmt":"2026-03-19T13:17:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jubaglobal.com\/?p=7218"},"modified":"2026-03-19T13:17:44","modified_gmt":"2026-03-19T13:17:44","slug":"israel-strikes-irans-south-pars-gas-field-iran-retaliates-on-qatar-lng-terminal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/directtopic.com\/jubaglobal.com\/israel-strikes-irans-south-pars-gas-field-iran-retaliates-on-qatar-lng-terminal\/","title":{"rendered":"Israel Strikes Iran\u2019s South Pars Gas Field; Iran Retaliates on Qatar LNG Terminal"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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The escalating conflict in the Middle East has taken a dramatic turn with direct attacks on critical energy infrastructure, pushing global oil and gas markets into turmoil. On March 18-19, 2026, Israel conducted airstrikes on facilities tied to Iran\u2019s South Pars<\/strong> gas field\u2014the world\u2019s largest natural gas reserve\u2014prompting swift Iranian retaliation against Qatar\u2019s key LNG facilities. These developments mark one of the most severe escalations in the ongoing US-Israel war with Iran, threatening global energy supplies and raising fears of broader regional involvement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Strike on South Pars: A Major Escalation<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

South Pars, also known as the North Dome field on the Qatari side, straddles the maritime border between Iran and Qatar in the Persian Gulf. It holds an estimated 1,800 trillion cubic feet of recoverable natural gas reserves, accounting for roughly 8-10% of the world\u2019s total proven reserves. On the Iranian side, it supplies about 70% of Iran\u2019s domestic gas needs and supports significant export and petrochemical operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Israeli forces targeted processing facilities, gas tanks, and related infrastructure in phases such as 3, 4, 5, and 6 in the Asaluyeh area of southern Iran. Reports from Iranian state media described fires breaking out at the site, though officials claimed they were brought under control relatively quickly. Workers were evacuated as a precaution. The strikes followed the killing of Iran\u2019s intelligence minister and intense Israeli operations in other areas, including Beirut.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Israeli media and sources indicated coordination with the United States, with some officials confirming US approval for targeting energy assets to pressure Iran\u2019s regime economically. A US defense official reportedly told Axios that the strike was coordinated with and approved by the Trump administration. However, the attack represented the first direct hit on Iran\u2019s fossil fuel production infrastructure since the war\u2019s onset in late February 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Qatar condemned the strike as a \u201cdangerous and irresponsible step,\u201d noting the shared nature of the field. The attack has shifted the conflict toward economic warfare, aiming to cripple Iran\u2019s ability to fund its military and domestic needs through energy revenues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Iran\u2019s Swift and Asymmetric Retaliation<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Iran responded almost immediately, launching missile and drone strikes on energy sites across the Gulf, with Qatar bearing the brunt. The primary target was Ras Laffan Industrial City<\/strong>, home to the world\u2019s largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) export complex. QatarEnergy reported \u201cextensive damage,\u201d including fires at processing units and infrastructure. No casualties were immediately confirmed, but production was disrupted\u2014echoing earlier suspensions in early March after similar incidents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Iran\u2019s Revolutionary Guard Corps described the strikes as a \u201cfirm warning\u201d to Gulf states hosting US assets or perceived as enabling Israeli actions. Evacuation warnings preceded some attacks, and strikes extended to facilities in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, though intercepts limited damage in those cases. Tehran framed the response as proportionate retaliation for the assault on its shared resource with Qatar, despite the field\u2019s joint nature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Iranian officials vowed further \u201cdecisive action\u201d if attacks on their energy sector continued, heightening concerns about a cycle of tit-for-tat strikes on Gulf energy hubs. Qatar expelled Iranian military and security attaches in response, labeling the attack a direct threat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trump\u2019s Response: Distancing and Threats<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

US President Donald Trump moved quickly to distance Washington from the South Pars strike. In a lengthy Truth Social post late on March 18 (extending into early March 19), he claimed the US \u201cknew nothing\u201d about the attack and that Qatar was also unaware and uninvolved. Trump described Israel\u2019s action as stemming from \u201canger for what has taken place in the Middle East\u201d and noted that only a \u201crelatively small section\u201d was hit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He urged de-escalation, stating \u201cno more attacks will be made by Israel\u201d on the South Pars field unless Iran \u201cunwisely decides to attack\u201d Qatar or other innocent parties. In stark terms, Trump warned: \u201cIn which instance the United States of America, with or without the help or consent of Israel, will massively blow up the entirety of the South Pars Gas Field at an amount of strength and power that Iran has never seen or witnessed before.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trump\u2019s statement aimed to prevent further Iranian retaliation while pressuring Tehran, but it also highlighted strains in the US-Israel alliance amid differing approaches to escalation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Market Impact: Surging Energy Prices and Global Fears<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The back-to-back attacks sent shockwaves through energy markets. Brent crude oil prices surged more than 5-6%, approaching or exceeding $107-110 per barrel in early trading on March 19, with some reports hitting highs near $116 amid supply disruption fears. European natural gas prices jumped as much as 9-40% in volatile sessions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Qatar, the world\u2019s second-largest LNG exporter (accounting for nearly 20% of global supply), faces production halts that could tighten LNG markets in Europe and Asia. The Strait of Hormuz remains effectively closed due to prior Iranian actions, compounding risks to roughly 20% of global oil transit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Analysts warn of prolonged conflict extending into May or beyond, with potential for higher inflation, economic slowdowns, and shifts in global commodity prices (including fertilizers and food). While the US holds significant reserves, allies in Europe and Asia face acute vulnerabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Broader Implications for the Region and Beyond<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This energy-focused escalation risks drawing in more Gulf states, despite their efforts to stay neutral. Saudi Arabia reported intercepted attacks and declared trust in Iran \u201cbroken.\u201d The joint Iran-Qatar field complicates diplomacy, as strikes harm shared economic interests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As fires smolder at both sites and markets reel, the world watches for Iran\u2019s next move\u2014and whether Trump\u2019s threats deter or provoke further violence. The war, now in its third week, has evolved from targeted military strikes to a battle over the energy arteries that power the global economy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Juba Global News Network will continue monitoring developments. For live updates, visit JubaGlobal.com.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By: Juba Global News Network | JubaGlobal.com<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The escalating conflict in the Middle East has taken a dramatic turn with direct attacks…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1199,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[830,643,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7218","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-breaking-news","category-more-articles","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/directtopic.com\/jubaglobal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7218","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/directtopic.com\/jubaglobal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/directtopic.com\/jubaglobal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/directtopic.com\/jubaglobal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1199"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/directtopic.com\/jubaglobal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7218"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/directtopic.com\/jubaglobal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7218\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7220,"href":"https:\/\/directtopic.com\/jubaglobal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7218\/revisions\/7220"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/directtopic.com\/jubaglobal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7218"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/directtopic.com\/jubaglobal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7218"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/directtopic.com\/jubaglobal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7218"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}