Washington: United States President Donald Trump has issued a strong warning to Iran not to attack Qatar, as tensions in the Middle East continue to rise over energy infrastructure and military strikes.
Speaking amid the ongoing crisis, Trump said that any attack by Iran on Qatar would bring a serious response from the United States. He warned that Washington could strike Iran’s part of the South Pars gas field, the largest natural gas reserve in the world, if Iran escalates further.
The situation worsened after Israel carried out strikes on Iran’s gas facilities in the South Pars field. The gas field is shared between Iran and Qatar and plays a key role in global energy supply. Following the attack, Iran launched retaliatory strikes that affected energy infrastructure in the Gulf.
One of the major targets was Ras Laffan Industrial City in Qatar, one of the world’s largest centres for liquefied natural gas production. Reports say parts of the facility were damaged, raising concerns about long term impact on gas exports.
Energy experts say that the damage could affect a significant share of Qatar’s gas production capacity for several years. Many countries in Asia and Europe depend heavily on Qatari gas, and the disruption has already caused concern in global markets.
Oil prices have also increased sharply as fears grow that the conflict could spread further across the region. Analysts warn that continued attacks on energy facilities could lead to a wider crisis affecting global supply chains.
Trump also stated that neither the United States nor Qatar was involved in the initial Israeli strike on Iran. He described Iran’s response as unjustified and called for restraint to avoid a larger conflict.
The growing tensions have already led to diplomatic fallout. Qatar has taken steps against Iranian officials, and several countries in the region are on high alert.
The crisis now centres on the safety of key energy infrastructure in the Gulf. With both sides exchanging warnings and attacks, there are increasing fears that the situation could turn into a broader regional conflict if tensions are not reduced soon.