During a Pentagon press briefing on March 19, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth vowed to “finish” the Iran war, saying that he spoke to the families of six US service members who died in Iraq last week and they asked him and President Donald Trump to ensure they “do not stop until the job is done”. Hegseth further added that Iran conflict is not ‘a forever war’ or a ‘quagmire’.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards warned Thursday, March 19, 2026, that any repeat strike on Iranian energy infrastructure will trigger total destruction of Gulf oil and gas facilities. “If it is repeated again, further attacks on your energy infrastructure and that of your allies will not stop until it is completely destroyed,” the IRGC said.
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Every Gulf energy asset, Saudi Aramco, UAE terminals, Qatar’s remaining LNG trains, is now effectively on Tehran’s target list.
Ras Laffan hit twice: Iran struck Qatar’s Ras Laffan Industrial City on the night of March 18, firing five missiles, four of which were intercepted, and one struck the complex. A second wave hit early March 19, causing extensive damage to LNG processing trains and the Pearl GTL plant. QatarEnergy has declared force majeure on all contracted deliveries. Fires have been now contained, while there were no reports of casualties. Meanwhile, Qatar has expelled Iran’s military attachés.
THE ATTACK
Iran strikes the heart of Qatar’s energy complex
On the night of March 18, 2026, Iran fired five ballistic missiles at the Ras Laffan Industrial City in northern Qatar — home to the world’s largest liquefied natural gas export facility. Four missiles were intercepted by Qatari and US air defences. One struck the complex, triggering extensive fires. A second wave of strikes followed in the early hours of March 19, causing further structural damage to the LNG processing trains and the adjacent Pearl GTL plant. QatarEnergy declared a state of emergency and invoked force majeure on contracted deliveries.
5
Ballistic missiles fired by Iran
1
Missile struck the facility
4
Intercepted by air defences
SEQUENCE OF EVENTS
MAR 2, 2026
An earlier Iranian drone strike damaged infrastructure at Ras Laffan. QatarEnergy halted LNG production and declared force majeure on deliveries.
MAR 18, 2026 — NIGHT
Iran fires five ballistic missiles at Ras Laffan. Four intercepted; one impacts the facility. Major fires reported in the LNG processing zone.
MAR 19, 2026 — EARLY HOURS
Second wave of strikes. QatarEnergy confirms “sizeable fires and extensive further damage” to LNG trains and Pearl GTL facility. Qatar expels Iran’s military and security attachés.
MAR 19, 2026 — ONGOING
Situation developing. International condemnations issued. Global gas and oil prices surge. Diplomatic contacts under way.
TRUMP’S STATEMENT
US President issues stark warning to Iran
On Truth Social, Donald Trump stated that Israel — not the US or Qatar — had struck Iran’s South Pars gas field in retaliation. He warned Iran directly against any further attacks on Qatar, threatening to “massively blow up the entirety of South Pars” if Qatar is struck again. He called on Iran to reach a nuclear deal and urged it to “stop the insanity.” Trump also stated the US had no involvement in the attack on Ras Laffan and was focused on protecting Qatar. (Source: Reuters, ABC News, CNN)
LOCATION
Where is Ras Laffan?
Ras Laffan Industrial City sits on the northeast coast of Qatar, approximately 80 km north of the capital Doha, on the shores of the Arabian Gulf. It was purpose-built as an industrial port city to serve Qatar’s vast offshore North Field — the world’s largest single natural gas reservoir, which Qatar shares with Iran (where it is called South Pars).
HISTORY
Built from scratch to power the world
Ras Laffan was established in 1996 by QatarEnergy (then Qatar Petroleum) to industrialise the country’s enormous gas reserves. Within three decades it grew into one of the largest industrial cities on earth — covering 295 sq km — and became the nerve centre of Qatar’s transformation from a small Gulf state into the world’s dominant LNG exporter. It hosts QatarEnergy’s LNG liquefaction plants, the Pearl GTL facility (the world’s largest gas-to-liquids plant), refineries, petrochemical complexes, and a major export port.
KEY NUMBERS
295
sq km — size of the industrial city
~20%
of global LNG supply originates here
77 MT
LNG export capacity per year (pre-attack)
80 km
north of Doha — distance from capital
WHAT IT PROCESSES
More than just LNG
Ras Laffan is not solely an LNG plant. It processes natural gas into LNG for export, operates the Pearl GTL plant which converts gas into diesel, naphtha, jet fuel, and lubricants, produces petrochemicals, and exports condensate. Qatar supplies LNG under long-term contracts to Japan, South Korea, China, India, Pakistan, and multiple European nations. Any disruption to its output creates immediate shortfall across Asia and Europe simultaneously.
THE DANGER
Why damage to Ras Laffan is a global emergency
LNG liquefaction trains are complex, precision infrastructure. Once damaged, they cannot simply be restarted — repairs take months to years. Qatar’s LNG was already halted since March 2 after the drone strike. The second ballistic missile attack deepens the damage to both the LNG trains and the Pearl GTL plant, making a rapid return to full production unlikely.
GLOBAL FALLOUT
E
European energy shock
Dutch and British wholesale gas prices surged approximately 50% following the March 2 halt. European nations which had switched from Russian pipeline gas to Qatari LNG now face acute winter supply risk.
A
Asia’s LNG deficit widens
Asian LNG spot prices rose approximately 39% after the initial halt. Japan, South Korea, and China are the world’s largest LNG importers and have long-term Qatari supply contracts. Spot alternatives are scarce and significantly more expensive.
S
Strait of Hormuz risk
Any escalation that draws the Strait of Hormuz into the conflict would choke off approximately 20% of global oil trade and nearly all Gulf LNG shipments, amplifying the crisis far beyond Qatar’s own exports.
P
Pearl GTL shutdown impact
The Pearl GTL plant produces diesel, jet fuel, and lubricants from gas. Its disruption adds a secondary pressure on refined product markets, compounding the crude oil price surge already under way.
I
India’s exposure
India imports LNG from Qatar under long-term agreements and also receives significant crude oil from Gulf suppliers. Rising Brent prices directly feed into India’s import bill, putting downstream pressure on petrol, diesel, LPG, and CNG prices.
INTERNATIONAL REACTIONS
Global condemnation — and calls for restraint
The attack drew swift international responses. The GCC called it a “blatant violation of international law and state sovereignty.” The EU called for the Strait of Hormuz to remain open for navigation. Saudi Arabia confirmed it had intercepted four ballistic missiles aimed at Riyadh, attributed to the same exchange. Tap each name below to read their statement.
TAP TO EXPAND STATEMENTS
Donald Trump
US President — via Truth Social, Mar 19, 2026
▼
“If Qatar is hit again, we will have no choice but to massively blow up the entirety of South Pars… Iran, make a deal, STOP THE INSANITY!” Trump also clarified that the US and Qatar were not involved in the strike on South Pars, attributing it to Israel. He warned Iran that the US would act decisively to protect Qatar. (Source: Reuters, CNN, ABC News)
Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)
Regional bloc — Statement, Mar 19, 2026
▼
The GCC condemned the attack as a “blatant violation of international law and state sovereignty.” It called on Iran to immediately cease hostilities, respect the territorial integrity of Gulf states, and engage in dialogue. It also reaffirmed that the security of Ras Laffan was a matter of regional concern. (Source: Al Jazeera, Reuters)
Kaja Kallas — European Union
EU Foreign Policy Chief — Mar 19, 2026
▼
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas spoke directly with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and called for the Strait of Hormuz to remain open for safe passage of commercial vessels. She urged Iran to de-escalate and warned that further disruptions to energy shipping lanes would have severe consequences for European energy security. (Source: Reuters, BBC)
Saudi Arabia
Kingdom statement — Mar 19, 2026
▼
Saudi Arabia confirmed its air defence forces had intercepted four ballistic missiles fired toward Riyadh during the same exchange. Riyadh condemned Iran’s actions as a “dangerous escalation threatening regional security” and called on the international community to hold Iran accountable. (Source: Reuters, Al Jazeera, CNN)
United Arab Emirates
MoFA statement — Mar 19, 2026
▼
The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned Iran’s “dangerous escalation” and its targeting of civilian energy infrastructure. It called the attack a violation of international humanitarian law and warned that destabilising critical energy facilities had consequences far beyond the immediate region. (Source: Reuters, Al Jazeera)
Brent Crude
$111.93
per barrel (USD)
▲ Surging
WTI Crude
$96.40
per barrel (USD)
▲ Surging
India Fuel Prices — Mar 19, 2026
CONTEXT
India’s domestic prices: stable for now, watch Brent
India’s petrol, diesel, LPG, and CNG retail prices are currently unchanged as state-run oil marketing companies have not revised prices. However, with Brent crude trading above $111/barrel — a level not seen in years — sustained high crude prices or further escalation in the Gulf could force a revision in domestic fuel pricing. India imports over 85% of its crude oil needs and is highly sensitive to Gulf supply disruptions.
Crude oil prices: oilprice.com, Goodreturns (Mar 19, 2026) · India fuel prices: Goodreturns (Mar 19, 2026) · CNG prices for Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kolkata are approximate — verify with city gas distribution companies before publication · Editorial sources: Al Jazeera, Reuters, BBC, CNN, ABC News, CBS News
Trump’s ultimatum: The US had no knowledge of Israel’s South Pars strike, President Donald Trump said. Iran retaliated by hitting Qatar, which Trump called unfair. He warned Tehran that the US will “massively blow up the entirety of South Pars” with or without Israel if Qatar is struck again. South Pars holds the world’s largest natural gas reserves and is the backbone of Iran’s economy.
Saudi Arabia: Riyadh formally reserved the right to take military action against Iran to protect its territory and economic resources.
Also Read:
Since February 28, Operation Epic Fury has killed Iran’s Supreme Leader, intelligence chief, IRGC commanders, and defence minister, eliminating the Islamic Republic’s entire command structure in under three weeks.
Where is the war happening? Israel | Iran | Iraq | UAE | Saudi Arabia | Lebanon | Strait of Hormuz?
The Indian Express Global Desk remains committed to rigorous verification. Follow our live blog below for real-time tracking of Operation Epic Fury, regional airspace status, and diplomatic efforts to contain the escalation.
