Iran strikes Gulf energy sites after gas field attack

Iran launched strikes on energy facilities across the Gulf and warned of further devastating attacks after a major gas field was hit, heightening fears on Thursday of a broader assault on fuel supplies that could further unsettle global markets.

The warning followed Israel’s killing of Iran’s intelligence chief, Esmail Khatib, the latest in a series of strikes that have severely weakened the country’s leadership nearly three weeks into the conflict.

After an attack on its South Pars gas field, Tehran vowed a strong response to any additional strikes on its energy sector. The Revolutionary Guards said in a statement carried by Iranian media that attacking Iran’s energy infrastructure was a “big mistake” and warned that any repeat would trigger continued assaults on the energy facilities of Israel and its allies until they were “completely destroyed.”

The Israeli military did not comment on the South Pars strike, while US officials said Washington was aware of the situation but had no involvement.

Iran’s threat came after Qatar’s state energy company reported that a missile strike caused a fire and “extensive damage” at its main gas facility — the world’s largest — prompting Doha to expel two Iranian diplomats.

Saudi Arabia also said it intercepted drones targeting energy infrastructure in its eastern region, while debris from a ballistic missile fell near a refinery south of Riyadh.

Oil prices, already elevated due to severe disruption of traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, surged again, with the main US crude benchmark rising by more than three percent on Thursday.

French President Emmanuel Macron said he had spoken with US President Donald Trump and the Emir of Qatar, urging a halt to strikes on civilian infrastructure. He stressed that civilian needs and the security of energy supplies must be protected from further escalation.

Khatib’s killing came after the death of security chief Ali Larijani, as Israel intensifies efforts to eliminate senior Iranian officials. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian condemned the killing as a “cowardly assassination,” while Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei vowed retaliation, warning that “every drop of spilled blood comes at a price.”

Khamenei has not appeared in public since assuming leadership following the death of his father, Ali Khamenei, in the early days of the war. Authorities said Larijani would be buried at a shrine in the city of Qom.

In Washington, US intelligence chief Tulsi Gabbard told Congress that Iran’s government remains “intact but largely degraded,” adding that Tehran has not resumed nuclear enrichment.

Israel has focused on targeting senior Iranian and allied figures, including Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in 2024 and key Hamas leaders since the Gaza war began. Despite heavy losses, Iran has continued retaliatory strikes.

An Iranian missile barrage killed a man described as a foreign worker in central Israel, bringing the death toll there to 15, according to emergency services. Overnight strikes hit multiple locations, while Iranian media reported fresh bombardments in several regions, including Tehran.

The conflict has spread across the Middle East, leaving hundreds dead and displacing millions. In Lebanon, Israeli airstrikes hit central Beirut multiple times on Wednesday, causing casualties as fighting with Hezbollah intensified.

The country was drawn into the war after the Iran-backed group launched rockets at Israel following Ali Khamenei’s death. Long lines of cars were seen along Lebanon’s southern coast as residents fled to the city of Sidon.

One resident, Nidal Ahmad Chokr, said he initially stayed in his village of Jibchit but decided to leave as airstrikes intensified. He described scenes of civilians killed during daily activities, including bakers and municipal workers.

France’s foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot is expected to visit Lebanon on Thursday, in a move the foreign ministry said reflects France’s solidarity with the Lebanese people caught in the conflict.

In Iraq, the pro-Iranian group Kataeb Hezbollah said it would suspend attacks on the US embassy for five days, setting conditions that include halting Israeli strikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs and stopping attacks on residential areas in Iraq.

No drone or rocket fire targeting the US embassy in Baghdad was reported from Wednesday night through Thursday morning.