Gulf on Fire: Iran Strikes Qatar's Gas Hub, Saudi Arabia Warns of War as US-Israel Conflict Enters Dangerous New Phase
The three-week-old war between the United States, Israel and Iran lurched toward a wider regional catastrophe overnight as Iran launched ballistic missile strikes against Qatar's critical Ras Laffan energy complex, triggering furious diplomatic responses, a direct threat from President Donald Trump, and a warning from Saudi Arabia that military action is now on the table.
The attack on Ras Laffan — home to the world's largest liquefied natural gas production facility — caused extensive damage to the Pearl Gas-to-Liquids facility and sparked multiple fires that Qatari civil defence teams worked through the night to contain. Qatar's Foreign Ministry condemned the strikes in the strongest terms, saying Iran had "crossed all red lines by targeting civilians, civilian infrastructure and vital facilities," and ordered Iranian security and military attachés to leave the country within 24 hours.
The attack was Tehran's retaliatory response to an Israeli strike the previous day on Iran's South Pars gasfield — a move that Trump publicly distanced Washington from. Trump stated on his Truth Social platform that the United States "knew nothing" about the Israeli attack, and that Qatar was "in no way, shape, or form, involved with it." He then issued a stark warning: if Iran strikes Qatar's LNG facilities again, the US would "massively blow up the entirety of the South Pars Gas Field" — with or without Israeli participation.
The threat underscored deepening questions about coordination between Washington and Tel Aviv. Analysts noted that Trump's statement raises serious doubts about how much strategic alignment exists between the two allies, with some reporting suggesting the administration had in fact signed off on the South Pars strike.
Iran's overnight barrage was not limited to Qatar. The UAE shut down its Habshan gas facilities in Abu Dhabi following Iranian strikes, while Saudi Arabia reported that two refineries in Riyadh were also targeted. Bahrain, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia reported intercepting multiple drones and projectiles, and ships near Qatar and the UAE were struck by unknown projectiles, according to the UK Maritime Trade Operations agency. Iranian sources confirmed that naval units of the IRGC and the Iranian army at Bandar Anzali were also struck by Israeli and US forces, with reports of destroyed destroyers and damage to fuel storage facilities.
The Saudi response at an emergency ministerial gathering in Riyadh was the sharpest yet from the Gulf. Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan warned that Iran must "review its misjudgements" and stated explicitly that both political and "nonpolitical options" remain on the table — diplomatic language widely interpreted as a veiled military threat. He accused Iran of attempting to blackmail Arab and Islamic states, vowing they would not be intimidated.
On the ground, the human toll continues to mount. The conflict has now killed at least 1,444 people in Iran, 968 in Lebanon — including more than 100 children — 60 in Iraq, 17 in Israel, and 13 US service members. In the occupied West Bank, three Palestinian women were killed when shrapnel from an Iranian missile struck a hair salon in Beit Awwa near Hebron — the first Palestinian deaths in the West Bank directly attributed to Iranian fire. In Lebanon, Israeli strikes killed 45 people across multiple towns over a 48-hour period, while Hezbollah reported destroying six Israeli Merkava tanks in ground clashes in southern Lebanon.
The economic shockwaves are accelerating. Brent crude has not dropped below $100 per barrel since 13 March, with analysts now openly discussing the possibility of prices reaching $150 or even $200 a barrel. The US Federal Reserve held interest rates steady while raising its inflation outlook, citing "uncertain" economic conditions. South Korea — which imports roughly 70 percent of its crude through the Strait of Hormuz — is considering restarting Russian oil imports and has introduced the first price cap on refinery output since the 1997 Asian financial crisis. Iran has separately entered talks with FIFA to relocate its 2026 World Cup matches from the United States to Mexico, citing security concerns for its delegation.
According to Reuters, the Trump administration is examining the deployment of thousands of additional US troops to reinforce its Middle East operations, while the Pentagon has reportedly requested more than $200 billion from Congress to fund the war — a figure that has already drawn fierce opposition from Democratic lawmakers.
With Gulf states now threatening military responses, energy infrastructure across the region ablaze, and no ceasefire in sight, the war that began with the killing of Iran's Supreme Leader on 28 February is entering what analysts fear may be its most dangerous phase yet.