Dubai, Abu Dhabi News Highlights: Qatar PM says gas hub attack ‘clear proof’ Iran not only targeting US interests

Israel attacks South Pars gas field: In what can be touted as the first strike on an Iranian energy infrastructure since the US-Israel joint military campaign began against Iran in February this year, Israel on Wednesday struck the world’s largest natural gas field South Pars. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)-affiliated Tasnim news agency reported that Iran’s petrochemical complex on the South Pars gas field was hit in the airstrikes.

Iran retaliates, attacks Ras Laffan in Qatar: Following the Israeli airstrikes on South Pars gas field, Iran vowed to retaliate, even as the Islamic nation issued evacuation orders for five energy facilities in the Gulf. On March 18-19, 2026, Iran fired 5 ballistic missiles at Qatar, out of which four were intercepted, and one of them hit the Ras Laffan Industrial City in Qatar.

Damages in Qatar: According to state energy giant QatarEnergy, several Iranian missiles struck the facility, sparking fires and causing “extensive damage” to critical processing units, including, Pearl GTL facility and multiple LNG facilities. While emergency teams were deployed, there were no reported casualties. QatarEnergy has declared a state of emergency and invoked force majeure on contracted deliveries.

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The Foreign Ministers of 12 Arab and Islamic countries issued a statement on Thursday, condemning the Iranian attacks.

A meeting was held by their Highnesses and Excellencies the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the State of Qatar, The Republic of Azerbaijan, the Kingdom of Bahrain, the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the State of Kuwait, the Republic of Lebanon, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Syrian Arab Republic, the Republic of Türkiye and the United Arab Emirates, held a consultative ministerial meeting on Wednesday in Riyadh.

Joint Statement Issued by the Consultative Ministerial Meeting of the Foreign Ministers of a Group of Arab and Islamic Countries Regarding the Iranian Attacks

Riyadh | 19 March 2026

Their Highnesses and Excellencies the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the State of Qatar, The… pic.twitter.com/Eik3eqtdlA

— Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Qatar (@MofaQatar_EN) March 19, 2026

The ministers condemned Iranian attacks on Jordan, Azerbaijan and Türkiye with ballistic missiles and drones which targeted residential areas, civilian infrastructure, including oil facilities, desalination plants, airports, residential buildings, and diplomatic premises. The Ministers further affirmed that such attacks could not be justified under any pretext or in any manner whatsoever.

The Ministers also stressed the right of states to defend themselves in accordance with Article (51) of the United Nations Charter, calling on Iran to immediately halt its attacks and affirmed the necessity of respecting international law, international humanitarian law, and the principles of good neighborliness.

Oil giant Saudi Aramco's SAMREF refinery in ‌the Red Sea port of Yanbu was targeted in an aerial attack on Thursday, an industry source said, adding there was minimal impact, after other attacks ​on energy facilities in Qatar and the UAE in response ​to U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iranian energy installations.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard ⁠Corps had issued an evacuation warning to several oil facilities across ​Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar, including SAMREF, which is a joint ​venture between Saudi Aramco and Exxon Mobil.

-Reuters

Kuwati army sad the air defenses are currently intercepting missiles and drone attacks.

The General Staff of the Army noted that any explosion sounds heard, are the result of air defense systems intercepting the hostile attacks.

The army urged citizens to adhere to security and safety instructions.

تتصدى حالياً الدفاعات الجوية الكويتية لهجمات صاروخية وطائرات مسيرة معادية.

تنوه رئاسة الأركان العامة للجيش أن أصوات الانفجارات إن سمعت فهي نتيجة اعتراض منظومات الدفاع الجوي للهجمات المعادية.

يرجى من الجميع التقيد بتعليمات الأمن والسلامة الصادرة عن الجهات المختصة.… pic.twitter.com/1LE1U5ytOD

— KUWAIT ARMY - الجيش الكويتي (@KuwaitArmyGHQ) March 19, 2026

Israel on Wednesday struck Iran’s key offshore natural gas field of South Pars in the largest attack on its energy production facilities since the war began on February 28.

The attack on South Pars is significant for two reasons: This is the world’s largest gas field, and this marks only the second attack by Israel and the US on Iranian downstream facilities since the war started.

The entire South Pars reservoir contains an estimated 1,800 trillion cubic feet of usable gas — enough to supply the entire world’s needs for 13 years — according to a Reuters report.

The field in the Persian Gulf has been in production since 2002 and accounts for up to three-fourth of Iranian gas production. The field, according to Argus Media, also supplies “a significant share of feedstock for Iran’s petrochemical and gasoline production”.

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State-owned QatarEnergy on Thursday confirmed that several of its liquefied natural gas (LNG) facilities sustained extensive damage following fresh Iranian strikes.
This comes hours after an earlier attack on Qatar’s Ras Laffan Industrial City caused significant damage to the Pearl GTL (gas-to-liquids) facility.

QatarEnergy Statement on Missile Attacks on its LNG Facilities

In addition to the previous attack on Ras Laffan Industrial City on Wednesday 18 March 2026 that resulted in extensive damage to the Pearl GTL (Gas-to-Liquids) facility, QatarEnergy confirms that in the early hours…

— QatarEnergy (@qatarenergy) March 19, 2026

Saudi Arabia said it "reserves right to take military action against Iran" as Tehran ramps up its offensive against the Kingdom.

“Iran’s message today was quite clear… The targeting of Riyadh, while a number of diplomats are meeting, I cannot see as coincidental,” the Foreign Minister said, hours after Saudi air defenses intercepted ballistic missiles over the capital, CNN reported.

“It doesn’t believe in talking to its neighbors. It tries to pressure its neighbors. And what I can say, categorically, that’s not going to work.”

“We have reserved the right to take military actions, if deemed necessary, and if the time comes, the leadership of the Kingdom will take the necessary decision. We will not shy away from protecting our country and our economic resources,” he said, adding, Saudi Arabia “is not going to succumb to pressure.”