Tension in the Middle East has reached a dangerous point. After Israel’s attack on Iran’s South Pars gas field, Iran has retaliated by targeting Qatar’s gas facilities. After this attack, a huge decline of 17 percent has been recorded in Qatar’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) production capacity. Experts say that this will affect all the countries including India which are dependent on Qatar for gas and fertilizers.
Qatar suffered huge financial and infrastructure losses
Qatar’s Energy Minister Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi said that Ras Laffan Industrial City has been badly damaged by Iran’s attacks. Qatar is the world’s largest exporter of LNG and its supply chain has been disrupted after this attack. The damage is so serious that it may take 3 to 5 years to repair.
Qatar is expected to lose about $20 billion in revenue every year. Iran has also targeted the energy bases of Kuwait and Saudi Arabia with drones. Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdurrahman al-Thani has described the attack as a direct threat to national security.
Experts’ warnings and global response
Air warfare analyst Tom Cooper, in an interview to ANI, had earlier warned that attacking Iran’s gas fields would be a ‘mindless’ move as it would open the way for an attack on Qatar. He said that countries like India, which are dependent on Qatar for fertilizers and fuel, may have to pay a heavy price for it. US President Donald Trump had initially distanced himself from this attack, but now he has warned Iran that if the attacks are not stopped then America will take strict action.
Key figures related to the attack and its impact
Key Information Description Israeli attack on Iran’s South Pars gas field on 18 March 2026. Iran counterattacked on 19–20 March by attacking Qatar’s Ras Laffan plant. Production reduction Qatar’s LNG capacity declined by 17%. Repair Time It will take 3 to 5 years to repair damaged units. Revenue loss is estimated to cost Qatar $20 billion annually.
