Iran s huge Gulf gas field is struck in major escalation

Iran's large Pars gas field experienced strikes on Wednesday, marking the first known attack on Iranian energy sites in the Gulf during the ongoing U.S.-Israeli conflict. This significant escalation led Tehran to advise its neighbors to evacuate their energy facilities. The Pars field is part of the world's largest natural gas deposit, which Iran shares with Qatar across the Gulf. Iran’s Fars news agency reported damage to gas tanks and parts of a refinery, prompting the evacuation of workers to safety and the deployment of emergency teams to combat a fire. Israeli media widely suggested that Israel carried out the strikes with U.S. approval, but the Israeli military did not immediately respond to inquiries for comments. Qatar, a strong U.S. ally and home to the largest U.S. airbase in the region, described the incident as an Israeli attack, omitting any mention of American involvement. A spokesperson for the Qatari foreign ministry labeled it a “dangerous and irresponsible” act that jeopardized global energy security. In response, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards quickly urged Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar to evacuate multiple energy facilities. Previously, the U.S. and Israel had refrained from targeting Iran's energy production sites in the Gulf, fearing that such actions might provoke retaliation against other producers and complicate the recovery of global markets from the significant disruption in energy supplies. However, nearly three weeks into the conflict, there has been no indication of reduced tensions. On Wednesday, Israel announced it had killed Iran’s intelligence minister, marking the second strike on a high-ranking official in just two days, and it granted the military the authority to target any senior Iranian official it can find.