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Iranian drone attacks forced Qatar to halt liquefied natural gas (LNG) production on Monday, rattling global energy markets and raising fears of supply disruptions as Tehran increased its attacks on regional infrastructure.
QatarEnergy, the state-owned giant and one of the world's largest LNG producers, suspended operations at two facilities after drones launched from Iran attacked the sites, according to reports.
Qatar's Defense Ministry also said in a statement that two drones attacked facilities in the country, although no casualties were reported.
The attacks also targeted a water tank at a power station in Mesaieed and a key energy facility in Ras Laffan.
Qatar suspends liquefied natural gas operations after Iranian drones attack facilities.
Qatar's Ras Laffan complex is the world's largest LNG export facility, making it one of the world's most critical energy hubs.
About 20% of global LNG trade passed through the Strait of Hormuz in 2024, mostly from Qatar, according to the US Energy Information Administration.
Markets reacted on Monday, with Europe's benchmark natural gas futures rising by the largest margin since the 2022 energy crisis sparked by the Ukraine war, Bloomberg reported.
SHIPPING OPERATIONS IN THE GULF HALL NEAR IRAN, US QUIETLY PREPARE FOR POSSIBLE ATTACK: 'INCREASED RISK'
People gather as smoke rises in the industrial area after reported Iranian missile attacks, following the US and Israeli strikes against Iran, in Doha, Qatar, March 1, 2026. (REUTERS/Mohammed Salem)
Bloomberg also reported that Dutch TTF natural gas prices rose 50% after news of the shutdown. Asian LNG prices also posted gains as traders tried to assess the scale and duration of the disruption.
“The threat to security of supply is here and now,” Simone Tagliapietra, an analyst at Bruegel, told Bloomberg. “The scope will depend on the duration of the closure, but now we find ourselves in a new scenario.”
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In Saudi Arabia, another drone attack caused a fire at the kingdom's Ras Tanura oil refinery, forcing a partial shutdown there as well.
Saudi authorities have reported no casualties, but the attack raised fears of broader instability in the Gulf energy corridor, according to reports.
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