DOHA, Qatar: US President Donald Trump has issued a stark warning to Iran, threatening military action against one of its most significant energy assets if attacks on Gulf infrastructure do not cease, as tensions across the Middle East continue to escalate.
In a statement posted on social media, Trump said the United States could target Iran’s South Pars gas field — part of the world’s largest natural gas reserve — if Tehran continues strikes on Qatari energy facilities.
The warning came after Qatar’s Ras Laffan liquefied natural gas complex sustained heavy damage in missile attacks attributed to Iran on Thursday, according to AFP.
Trump stated that Washington had no prior knowledge of Israel’s earlier strike on the South Pars field and added that further Israeli attacks on the site would be halted, provided Iran refrains from targeting Qatar. However, he warned of severe consequences if Tehran does not comply.
The intensifying conflict has sent global oil markets into turmoil, with crude prices rising sharply amid fears of prolonged disruption. The situation has been further aggravated by threats to tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for nearly 20 percent of the world’s oil supply.
Iran’s recent attacks on Gulf energy installations are widely seen as retaliation for earlier strikes on its own infrastructure. Despite suffering significant losses, including the killing of senior intelligence official Esmail Khatib in targeted operations, Tehran has continued to launch missile and drone attacks across the region.
Qatar’s state energy authorities confirmed that emergency teams managed to control fires at the Ras Laffan facility following the strikes. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia reported intercepting drones aimed at its eastern energy installations and warned it may take military action after debris from a ballistic missile landed near a refinery south of Riyadh.
The broader conflict has also resulted in civilian casualties across multiple regions. In Israel, a missile attack killed a foreign worker, while additional deaths were reported in the occupied West Bank. In Lebanon, ongoing clashes between Israeli forces and Hezbollah have triggered massive displacement, with residents fleeing heavily bombarded areas.
International leaders have called for restraint, with French President Emmanuel Macron urging a halt to attacks on civilian infrastructure following discussions with regional and US leadership.
Despite mounting pressure, Iranian leadership has vowed retaliation, with its new supreme leader warning that the country would respond forcefully to continued attacks.
As the conflict enters its third week, global concerns are growing over the potential for further escalation, particularly as energy security and regional stability remain under serious threat.
