Israel’s attack on Iran’s biggest gas field is a major escalation – here’s why

WorldPolitics
19 Mar 2026 • 10:28 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

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  • Israel attacked Iran's South Pars gas field, prompting condemnation from both Iran and Qatar, who share the world's largest gas field.
  • Tehran retaliated by striking multiple energy facilities across the Gulf, including Qatar's Ras Laffan Industrial City, which sustained extensive damage but reported no casualties.
  • President Donald Trump threatened that the US would 'massively blow up the entirety' of Iran's South Pars gas field if Tehran launched further attacks on Qatar.
  • The US president claimed Israel's initial strike on South Pars was minor and that Washington had no prior knowledge of the attack.
  • Experts warn that targeting energy infrastructure, especially liquefied natural gas facilities, marks a significant escalation with potentially years-long impacts on Iranian civilians and the global economy.

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