Iran named specific Gulf energy sites for attack on Wednesday after Israel bombed the South Pars gasfield in a historic first strike on Iranian fossil fuel production. The Revolutionary Guards identified facilities in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar as imminent targets and told workers and residents to evacuate. Global oil markets surged sharply higher in response to the threat, with prices approaching $110 a barrel.
The South Pars field holds the world’s largest known natural gas reserves and is jointly managed between Iran and Qatar. Israel’s strike on the field, reportedly with US backing, was a significant policy shift — both countries had until now deliberately avoided attacking Iranian energy infrastructure, mindful of the global economic consequences of doing so. The restraint appeared to have ended.
Among the named targets were Saudi Arabia’s Samref refinery and Jubail complex, the UAE’s al-Hosn gasfield, and Qatar’s Mesaieed and Ras Laffan facilities. State media broadcast the evacuation orders in real time, creating an atmosphere of imminent danger across Gulf energy hubs. Asaluyeh governor Eskandar Pasalar said the Israeli attack was “political suicide” and declared the war had entered a full-scale economic phase.
Oil prices rose to $108.60 a barrel — a nearly 5% gain — while European gas prices climbed more than 7.5%. Gulf oil exports had already fallen 60% from pre-war levels, hammered by infrastructure damage and Iran’s Strait of Hormuz blockade. Iran had continued to ship its own crude through the strait unimpeded while blocking its neighbors’ exports, giving it a significant economic advantage throughout the conflict.
Qatar’s government spokesperson warned that attacking energy infrastructure threatened global energy security and the lives of millions of people across the region. With specific targets named and evacuation orders issued, Iran’s threats had moved far beyond rhetoric. The next phase of the conflict was expected to be defined by economic destruction — and the world was watching with growing dread.
