A Qatari complex housing the world's largest liquefied natural gas export plant suffered 'extensive damage' amid a sharp escalation of attacks on energy facilities across the Persian Gulf.
The Ras Laffan Industrial City, home to the LNG plant that accounted for about a fifth of global supply before production was halted earlier this month, was hit by an Iranian missile after four others were intercepted, authorities said late Wednesday.
Hours later, Abu Dhabi shut its Habshan gas facilities after they were hit by falling debris from an intercepted strike.
No casualties were reported, but the US would retaliate if Qatar's LNG facilities were attacked again, President Donald Trump said.
The incidents mark yet another escalation in hostilities in the region and follow a string of attacks targeting oil and gas infrastructure in recent days.
Crude and natural gas prices surged earlier in the day after Israel attacked Iran's giant South Pars gas field.
Tehran responded with a warning that several energy sites in Qatar, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates had become 'legitimate targets.'
State-controlled QatarEnergy said all personnel were accounted for at its LNG facility, which had been evacuated hours earlier.
Qatar's interior ministry said the fire caused by the first strike was under control.
The willingness of Iran to attack Qatari infrastructure is a major escalation, said Richard Pratt, a consultant at Precision LNG Consulting LLC.
