Massive explosions have ripped through Qatar’s main liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility and struck the Saudi capital, Riyadh. The attacks came just hours after Iran warned it would launch a “full-scale economic war,” targeting key energy sites across the Middle East.
Fires Blaze at Qatar’s Ras Laffan LNG Hub and Riyadh
Video clips captured fiery blasts lighting up the night sky at Ras Laffan, Qatar’s crucial LNG production centre. Meanwhile, in Riyadh, fiery orange fireballs exploded as missiles hit the city. Earlier, energy facilities across Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar had been evacuated following Tehran’s chilling warning that these sites were “direct and legitimate targets” and would be hit “in the coming hours.”
QatarEnergy confirmed severe damage at Ras Laffan, with emergency teams battling the blazes. The firm reassured that all staff were safe and no casualties were reported. The Qatari government also acknowledged ongoing fire response efforts in the area.
Tensions Spike After Israel Strikes Iran-Linked Gas Field
Heightening the crisis, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry slammed Israel’s strike earlier that day on the South Pars gas field — the world’s largest shared between Iran and Qatar — branding the attack “reckless and irresponsible.” Iran’s missile strike on Ras Laffan was a retaliation for Israel’s assault on the Iranian section of this sensitive energy hotspot.
The attacks sent Brent crude prices soaring over 5%, pushing barrels above $109 on Tuesday afternoon, rattling global energy markets.
Assassinations and Airstrikes Escalate Middle East Turmoil
The strikes coincided with deadly developments elsewhere: Israel confirmed it killed Iran’s intelligence minister Esmail Khatib in a daring airstrike over Tehran. Defence Minister Israel Katz vowed more “significant surprises” as Israel zeroes in on top Iranian officials. The violence unfolded amid funerals for Iranian national security chief Ali Larijani and military commander Gholamreza Soleimani, both recently assassinated.
The full scale of the damage to Qatar’s LNG infrastructure and knock-on effects on global energy supply remain unclear but are expected to unfold in the coming hours.
