Amid intensifying conflict in West Asia, Iranian aerial strikes from Wednesday have inflicted major destruction on Qatar’s premier gas terminal, hit a Saudi Arabian refinery, shut UAE gas plants, and ignited blazes at two Kuwaiti fuel hubs.
Tehran’s reprisal for Israeli strikes against its domestic gas infrastructure represents a significant escalation in the three-week-old conflict.
Aramco-Exxon refinery hit On Thursday, a drone struck the Aramco-Exxon SAMREF refinery, according to the Saudi defence ministry, which noted that damage is currently being evaluated. Authorities also neutralised a ballistic missile aimed at Yanbu, the port city serving as Saudi Arabia's primary crude export gateway and home to the refinery.
Kuwait refineries targeted Similarly, drone strikes hit operational units at Kuwait Petroleum Corporation’s Mina Abdullah and Mina al-Ahmadi refineries, sparking fires at both locations, Kuwait’s official news agency reported.
‘Extensive damage’ at Qatar’s LNG facility State-owned QatarEnergy said on Wednesday that Iranian missile strikes on Ras Laffan, the nation's central LNG processing hub, caused "extensive damage," while the UAE deactivated gas operations after downing missiles early Thursday.
These Iranian manoeuvres, which sparked a fierce reaction from US President Donald Trump, occurred shortly after Tehran issued evacuations at several petroleum sites across Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar, following attacks on its own energy hubs in Asaluyeh and South Pars.
QatarEnergy, the world's second-biggest LNG supplier, stated that emergency crews were dispatched instantly to manage fires resulting from the strike.
By early Thursday, all conflagrations at Ras Laffan were suppressed with no reported casualties, Qatar’s interior ministry confirmed.
Ras Laffan, situated 80 km north of Doha, serves as a vital energy corridor housing multiple global firms, including Shell, the world’s leading LNG trader.
"We are currently assessing any potential impact on any asset operated or utilised by Shell in Ras Laffan Industrial City and will provide further information in due course," a Shell spokesperson said, according to Reuters.
Shell subsequently reported that the Pearl GTL plant took damage, noting a fire was rapidly extinguished and the site is now secure while damage assessments continue alongside QatarEnergy and local officials.
QatarEnergy said the Pearl gas-to-liquids facility had suffered extensive damage. Several LNG facilities were hit by missile attacks in the early hours of Thursday, causing "sizeable fires" and further damage, it said.
Qatar generates 77 million metric tons of LNG annually for global power and industrial use. The Laffan facility mainly refines condensate into specialised products like aviation fuel.
Posting on social media, Trump cautioned Iran against further targeting Qatari LNG sites, threatening to "massively blow up the entirety of the South Pars Gas Field" if provocations continue. He claimed Israel struck South Pars without notifying Qatar or Washington. Qatar’s foreign ministry responded by ordering Iran’s military and security attaches to depart within 24 hours, labelling them "persona non grata."
In an official statement, the ministry denounced the Ras Laffan raid as a "direct threat" to Qatari national safety, accusing Tehran of an "irresponsible approach."