Iran has unleashed fresh attacks on its Gulf Arab neighbours’ energy infrastructure this morning following an Israeli strike on Tehran’s biggest natural gas field.
Kuwait said a drone attack on its Mina Al-Ahmadi oil refinery, one of the largest in the Middle East, had sparked a fire.
Meanwhile, a projectile also hit a ship off the coast of Qatar and firefighters were tackling a blaze a blaze at a major LNG facility following Iranian attacks.
The strikes come despite Donald Trump‘s warning he would ‘massively blow up’ a major Iranian gas field at the centre of a major escalation in the US-Israel war with Iran.
In an explosive Truth Social post, Trump claimed the US had no knowledge of an attack on the South Pars Field by Israel and warned the US will take unprecedented action if Tehran continues to strike energy sites across the Gulf in retaliation.
‘I do not want to authorise this level of violence and destruction because of the long term implications that it will have on the future of Iran,’ he said in a post on Truth Social, adding he ‘will not hesitate’ to strike back.
His remarks came after missiles caused ‘extensive damage’ in Qatar hours after Iran threatened to wage a ‘full scale economic war’ by attacking energy facilities across the Middle East.
Video showed huge explosions in Ras Laffan – the world’s biggest natural gas plant – as well as Saudi Arabia‘s capital Riyadh.
Abu Dhabi authorities suspended operations at two of its sites, the Habshan gas facility and at the Bab oil field, after being hit with fallen debris from successful missile interceptions.
Trump threatens to ‘massively blow up’ Iran gas field
Donald Trump said he ‘knew nothing’ of Israel’s attack on the world’s largest natural gas field, South Pars in Iran.
However, he threatened to blow up the whole facility with ‘an amount of strength and power that Iran has never seen or witnessed before’ if Iran continues to attack Qatar.
‘I do not want to authorise this level of violence and destruction because of the long term implications that it will have on the future of Iran,’ he said in a post on Truth Social, adding he ‘will not hesitate’ to strike back.
Ed Miliband calls for fairness in business energy contracts amid Iran crisis
Energy firms have been warned not to rip off businesses as the Middle East crisis forces prices up.
Regulator Ofgem and Energy Secretary Ed Miliband have written to business suppliers to demand ‘maximum flexibility’ in contracts for small firms.
Mr Miliband said pricing needs to be ‘fair, transparent and fully justifiable’.
The letter to business suppliers from Mr Miliband and Ofgem’s interim CEO Tim Jarvis calls for a ‘fair and supportive approach’, with transparent contracts.
The Government also confirmed plans to use the Energy Independence Bill to regulate energy brokers and price comparison websites.
IN PICTURES: Explosion close to oil company in Riyadh
An explosion has been reported near to the oil company Aramco in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Images shared on social media show a large flash lighting up the city’s skyline on March 18.
Saudi Arabia said it had intercepted and destroyed four ballistic missiles launched toward Riyadh on Wednesday.
By Nick Hamilton
As we approached Dubai‘s Terminal 3, the sense of panic among the hundreds of passengers corralled outside in the blistering midday heat was palpable.
It was only two days after Iranian missiles and drones began pelting the United Arab Emirates at an alarming rate.
Some of the worried people were expats desperate to get out, others just travellers in transit who never intended being in Dubai for more than a few hours, least of all in these circumstances.
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European gas jumps more than 30 per cent after strikes on Qatar
The price of European gas has jumped by more than 30 per cent after Iran unleashed strikes on Qatar.
Qatar, a key source of natural gas for world markets, said firefighters had put out a blaze at a major LNG facility after it had been hit by Iranian missile attacks.
Production had already been halted there after earlier attacks but it said the latest wave of missiles caused ‘sizeable fires and extensive further damage’.
Damage to the facility could delay Qatar in getting its supplies to the market even after the Iran war ends.
Kuwait ‘intercepting drones and missiles’
The Kuwaiti army has said it is ‘confronting hostile missile and drone attacks’ targeting the country.
It said any explosions that are heard are its air defence systems intercepting incoming projectiles.
The army called on the public to remain calm.
IN PICTURES: Smoke and fire rises from South Pars gas field
Donald Trump said Israel had ‘violently lashed out’ and attacked Iran’s major gas field.
Yesterday’s strike on the huge South Pars gas field drove oil prices higher and prompted a threat by Iran to attack oil and gas targets across the Gulf.
Images shared on social media show flames and plumes of black smoke billowing from the facility.
Iran executes three anti-government protesters
Iran has executed three protesters convicted of killing two police officers during anti-government protesters in January.
They were found guilty of murder and ‘waging war against God’, according to Iran’s judicial news agency Mizan.
Around 6,488 protesters were killed during the protests, the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) previously said.
Iran continues to strike Arab neighbours’ energy infrastructure
Iran has intensified its attacks on its Gulf Arab neighbors’ energy infrastructure this morning.
A ship burned off the coast of the United Arab Emirates and another was damaged off of Qatar, underscoring the ever-present danger facing vessels due to Iran’s stranglehold on the Strait of Hormuz.
Qatar, a key source of natural gas for world markets, said firefighters had put out a blaze at a major LNG facility after it had been hit by Iranian missile attacks.
Production had already been halted there after earlier attacks but it said the latest wave of missiles caused ‘sizeable fires and extensive further damage.’
The Pentagon has requested $200billion for the war in Iran as President Trump considers deploying thousands of more troops to the region.
The development signaled a potential new phase in the conflict as the US works to secure the Strait of Hormuz amid ongoing bombings.
The funding request comes after a study concluded that the US has spent around $3.7 billion, or $891.4 million a day, on wartime efforts in the first 100 hours of Operation Epic Fury, rising to $11 billion in the first week alone.
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Oil jumps four per cent as strikes continue
The price of a barrel of Brent crude oil shot up by 4 per cent to $112 overnight as strikes across the Middle East continued.
The jump comes after Iran’s South Pars gas facility – one of the world’s largest natural gas fields – was hit by an Israeli missile.
Iran responded by targeting a major liquefied natural gas facility in Qatar.
This caused ‘extensive damage’, according to Qatari authorities and raised concerns over the global energy supply.
Iran last night threatened to cripple the global energy market in a ‘full-scale economic war’ by ramping up missile attacks on oil and gas plants.
In a major escalation of the Middle East crisis, facilities in neighbouring Gulf countries were evacuated as the regime threatened to pummel them with strikes in ‘the coming hours’.
It followed an Israeli air strike on the world’s largest natural gas field, South Pars in Iran.
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Iran hits Kuwait oil refinery in fresh attack as ship is attacked off coast of Qatar after Trump threat: Live updates
