Iran drone strikes force Qatar to halt major LNG production operations

Iranian drone strikes forced Qatar to halt liquefied natural gas (LNG) production on Monday; This has shaken global energy markets and raised fears of supply disruptions as Tehran steps up its attacks on regional infrastructure.

QatarEnergy, the state-owned giant and one of the world’s largest LNG producers, suspended operations at two facilities after drones launched from Iran hit the facilities, according to reports.

Qatar Ministry of Defense also made a statement. expression, It was stated that two unmanned aerial vehicles hit facilities in the country, but there was no loss of life.

Attacks also targeted a water tank at a power plant in Mesaieed and a major energy facility in Ras Laffan.

Qatar’s Ras Laffan complex is the world’s largest LNG export facility, making it one of the most critical energy hubs in the world.

According to the report, approximately 20 percent of global LNG trade in 2024 passed through the Strait of Hormuz, primarily through Qatar. US Energy Information Administration.

Markets reacted on Monday as Europe’s benchmark natural gas futures rose by the largest margin since the 2022 energy crisis triggered by the Ukraine war. Bloomberg reported.

AS GULF MARITIME OPERATIONS ARE ABOUT TO STOP NEAR IRAN, THE USA IS QUIETLY PREPARING FOR A POSSIBLE STRIKE: ‘INCREASED RISK’

People gather as smoke rises in the Industrial Zone following reported Iranian missile strikes following U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran on March 1, 2026 in Doha, Qatar. (REUTERS/Muhammad Salem)

Bloomberg also reported that Dutch TTF natural gas prices rose 50% following news of the closure. Asian LNG prices also rose as traders tried to assess the size and length of the outage.

“The threat to security of supply is here and now,” analyst Simone Tagliapietra of Bruegel told Bloomberg. “The extent of this will depend on the duration of the closure, but we are now in a new scenario.”

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Another drone strike in Saudi Arabia caused a fire at the kingdom’s Ras Tanura oil refinery, prompting a partial shutdown there as well.

Saudi officials reported no casualties, but news reports said the attack raised fears of wider instability in the Gulf energy corridor.

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