Iran Missile Attack Sparks Fire and Damage at Qatar Gas Facility

Qatar’s Foreign Ministry Issues Strong Condemnation Following Attack on Ras Laffan Complex

A fire broke out at Qatar’s main gas facility, the Ras Laffan Industrial City, after an Iranian attack. The attack resulted in “extensive damage” to the complex, according to a statement from QatarEnergy.

The company confirmed that all personnel had been accounted for and no casualties had been reported at this time. The incident occurred hours after Iran threatened to attack oil and gas facilities across the Gulf region in retaliation for an Israeli attack on its South Pars gasfield.

Qatar’s Ministry of Interior stated that civil defence teams were responding to the fire. In a statement, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry condemned “the brutal” Iranian targeting of Ras Laffan Industrial City, describing it as a “dangerous escalation, a flagrant violation of its sovereignty, and a direct threat to its national security.”

The attack on the Ras Laffan complex is part of a larger conflict in the region. On March 2, Qatar suspended LNG production following an attack on the facility as well as on a water tank at a power plant in Mesaieed Industrial City.

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Defence reported that its air defences had intercepted four ballistic missiles launched towards Riyadh, while the UAE’s Defence Ministry stated that it had dealt with 13 ballistic missiles and 27 drones coming from Iran. A meeting of foreign ministers from Arab and Muslim-majority countries is scheduled to take place in Saudi Arabia to discuss finding an off-ramp from the conflict.

The Ras Laffan complex, located 80 kilometres north-east of Doha, is a major LNG production facility that produces about 20 percent of the global LNG supply. The incident has raised concerns about the security of oil and gas facilities in the region.

Source: Al Jazeera