Escalation includes offensives in Ras Laffan and tension in the South Pars field, impacting oil prices and increasing crisis in the Middle East
Donald Trump threatened to destroy Iran’s gas fields If Tehran continues attacks against Qatar, the second largest exporter of liquefied natural gas in the worldin an escalation of the crisis that once again caused an increase in oil prices this Thursday (19).
If Iran “recklessly decides to attack” Qatar, the United States, “with or without the help and consent of Israel, would massively blow up the entire South Pars Gas Field,” the American president wrote on his Truth Social platform.
He also confirmed that Wednesday’s attack on the Iranian gas field in the Gulf was Israel’s responsibility and that Washington had “no knowledge” of the action.
In retaliation, Iran on Wednesday attacked the Ras Laffan area of Qatar, the largest industrial complex and liquefied natural gas (LNG) exporting port in the worldand attacked the place again this Thursday.
Qatar’s state energy company, QatarEnergy, reported “considerable damage” in the early hours of Thursday, but fires sparked by the attack were brought under control, according to the Interior Ministry, which reported no casualties.
Qatar is the world’s second largest exporter of LNG. The country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs lamented that the attacks in the region “crossed all red lines by targeting civilians, as well as civilian and vital installations.”
In turn, Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates, also closed a natural gas processing center after debris from intercepted missiles fell.
The new episode of the war that began on February 28th due to the Israeli and United States offensive against Iran caused oil prices to soar, taking a barrel of Brent crude to a price of more than 112 dollars this Thursday.
Fears of the conflict spreading throughout the Middle East have increased and Saudi Arabia has announced that it “reserves the right” to respond militarily to Iran, which regularly attacks its territory with drones and missiles.
Safe corridor
Iran’s blockade of the strategic Strait of Hormuzthrough which 20% of the world’s oil and gas passes, continues to be in the spotlight.
South of the strait, in the Gulf of Oman, a ship was hit this Thursday by an “unknown projectile” and a fire on board was declared, according to the British maritime agency UKMTO. Another ship was hit off the coast of Ras Lafan, Qatar, according to the same source.
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) meets urgently this Thursday in London to demand the implementation of a safe maritime corridor for the exit of ships blocked in the Gulf.
The UN body responsible for safety at sea estimates that 20,000 sailors are currently waiting aboard 3,200 ships near the Strait of Hormuz.
As with the Federal Reserve (Fed, the American central bank), the sharp increase in energy prices due to the war will dominate this Thursday’s meeting of the European Central Bank (ECB), which fears consequences for inflation and growth.
French President Emmanuel Macron called for a moratorium on attacks on energy facilities, following talks with Trump and Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad al Thani.
“Civilian populations and their essential needs, as well as the security of energy supplies, must be preserved from military escalation,” declared Macron.
In almost three weeks, the war left more than 2,200 dead, according to authorities, mainly in Iran and Lebanonthe second battlefront of the conflict, where Israeli forces face the pro-Iran Hezbollah movement.
*AFP
