Qatar shot down two Iranian bombers and halted LNG production as Tehran widened attacks on Gulf oil facilities, sending energy prices soaring and raising fears of a broader conflict.
DOHA: Qatar’s air force shot down two Iranian Sukhoi Su-24 bombers on Monday. The defence ministry said it was the first time a Gulf country had hit Iranian planes since Tehran began region-wide retaliatory attacks.
Iran’s unprecedented bombardment has targeted ports, airports and military sites across the wealthy region. The attacks have now widened to critical energy infrastructure, sending shockwaves through global markets.
QatarEnergy, one of the world’s biggest liquefied natural gas exporters, suspended production due to drone strikes on two of its sites. European natural gas prices leapt more than 50%, while oil surged nearly 9% on supply fears.
“Qatar Emiri Air Force successfully shot down two (Su-24) aircraft coming from the Islamic Republic of Iran,” the defence ministry stated. It did not mention the fate of the jets’ crews.
A drone strike also hit Saudi Aramco’s massive Ras Tanura refinery, forcing it to halt some operations. A source close to the Saudi government warned a “concerted” Iranian attack on oil facilities could trigger a military response.
Saudi Arabia would target “Iranian oil facilities if Iran mounts a concerted attack on Aramco”, the source told AFP. Another source said the Saudi army had raised its readiness level to “full alert”.
In Abu Dhabi, a drone struck a fuel tank terminal, causing a fire that authorities said was promptly contained. “No injuries were reported and there was no impact on operations,” the Abu Dhabi Media Office said.
Kuwait suffered significant impacts, with its US embassy damaged in a drone attack according to diplomats. Three US F-15E Strike Eagles were mistakenly shot down by Kuwaiti air defences in a friendly-fire incident on Sunday.
The crews parachuted to safety. Separately, Kuwait’s military said two non-commissioned naval officers were killed on Monday while on duty.
Shrapnel fell at Mina Al Ahmadi refinery, injuring two workers but not disrupting production. Bahrain reported its first death when debris sparked a fire on a ship, killing one Asian worker.
Six people have been killed and dozens injured since the attacks began. Italy said it was helping evacuate hundreds of citizens from the UAE, which had halted flights.
Limited flights resumed from Dubai and Abu Dhabi on Monday. Security analyst Anna Jacobs called the war a “nightmare scenario” for the Gulf.
“These sorts of attacks just completely obliterate the image of these countries as a safe haven,” she told AFP.
