Nader Itayim | ‌‌نادر ایتیّم

Providing an update on the damage from the missile attacks on Ras Laffan Industrial City H.E. Minister Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi: The missile attacks reduced Qatar’s LNG export capacity by 17% and caused an estimated loss of $20 billion in annual revenue - Extensive damage to our production facilities will take up to five years to repair and will compel us to declare long-term force majeure QatarEnergy expects the damage to its Ras Laffan Industrial City caused by missile strikes, which occurred on Wednesday 18 March 2026, and in the early hours of Thursday 19 March 2026, to cost about $20 billion a year in lost revenue and to take up to five years to repair, impacting supply to markets in Europe and Asia. Providing an update on the damage to the facilities at Ras Laffan Industrial City, His Excellency Mr. Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi, the Minister of State for Energy Affairs, the President and CEO of QatarEnergy, said “I am relieved to confirm that no one was injured by these unjustified and senseless attacks, which weren’t just an attack on the State of Qatar but attacks on global energy security and stability. This was an attack on all of us who stand for development and human progress that is sustained by a fair, reliable, and secure access to energy.” The attacks damaged two liquefied natural gas (LNG) producing Trains 4 and 6 totaling 12.8 million tons per annum (MTPA) of production, representing approximately 17% of Qatar’s exports. Train 4 is a joint venture between QatarEnergy (66%) and ExxonMobil (34%), and Train 6 is a joint venture between QatarEnergy (70%) and ExxonMobil (30%). His Excellency Minister Al-Kaabi said: “The damage sustained by the LNG facilities will take between three to five years to repair. The impact is on China, South Korea, Italy and Belgium. This means that we will be compelled to declare force majeure for up to five years on some long-term LNG contracts.” The attacks also targeted the Pearl GTL (Gas-to-Liquids) facility, a production sharing agreement operated by Shell, that converts natural gas into high-quality cleaner burning drop-in fuels and produces base oils used to make premium engine oils and lubricants, and paraffins and waxes. “The damage caused to one of the two trains at Pearl GTL is being assessed and is expected to be offline for a minimum of one year” His Excellency Minister Al-Kaabi added. It should be noted that there will be a loss of associated product production due to this outage as follows: · Condensates: 18.6 million barrels which is around 24% of Qatar’s exports · LPG: 1.281 MT which is around 13% of Qatar’s exports · Naphtha: 0.594 MT which is around 6% of Qatar’s exports · Sulfur: 0.18 MT which is around 6% of Qatar’s exports · Helium: 309.54 MCFA which is around 14% of Qatar’s exports His Excellency the Minister of State for Energy Affairs, the President and CEO of QatarEnergy paid tribute to the Qatari military and security forces and to the energy sector emergency response teams whose courage and extraordinary professionalism ensured the situation was contained quickly and safely. #Qatar

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BREAKING: US may ‘unsanction’ Iranian oil to ease pressure from US-Israeli war roiling energy markets 🔴 LIVE updates: aje.news/fs4nzb?update=…

#Iran War Update No. 19 (focus on Iranian strategic narrative): 🔹The war has entered a clear energy infrastructure phase following the strike on Iran’s South Pars gas field. The attack has caused disruption in Iran’s gas production and marked a shift toward targeting the country’s economic backbone rather than purely military assets. 🔹Iran responded by expanding retaliation across the Persian Gulf. Strikes on energy and industrial infrastructure, including major facilities such as Ras Laffan in Qatar, indicate a deliberate strategy to regionalize the energy confrontation and globalize its impacts by imposing extra pressure on the energy market. 🔹This shift is also reflected in Iranian strategic thinking. Rather than “proportional” responses, Tehran increasingly appears to be operating under a new strategy of escalation above the threshold set by its adversaries, aiming to correct what it sees as past miscalculations caused by restraint. 🔹At the same time, the risk of a more direct U.S. intervention is rising. Recent discussions in Washington reportedly include scenarios involving special operations forces targeting Iran’s enriched uranium stockpiles or seizing strategic locations such as Kharg Island, although large-scale ground operations remain uncertain. 🔹Iran has responded by signaling preparedness for such scenarios. IRGC’s special/commando force deployments in Iran’s southern regions and its public messaging emphasize readiness for ground confrontation, while some Iranian analysts even argue that a limited U.S. ground presence could be turned into a strategic advantage by exposing American forces to direct attack. 🔹Israeli operations continue to focus on decapitation strikes. The latest case was intelligence minister Esmail Khatib whose death in Israeli strikes was confirmed by the Iranian government. 🔹At the same time, Israeli strikes are expanding geographically. Attacks on northern provinces of Gilan and Mazandaran suggest a widening target set. 🔹Iran’s missile campaign against Israel continues in a sustained attritional pattern. Smaller but frequent salvos, including the use of cluster munitions, appear aimed at maintaining psychological pressure and gradually degrading Israeli air defenses. 🔹Hezbollah’s involvement also persists at a steady pace, with continued rocket and missile fire into northern Israel. Some reports indicate that longer-range missiles have now been used to strike areas near Gaza, potentially aimed at enabling a reactivation of armed activity there and suggesting a higher degree of coordination with Iranian operations. 🔹In Iraq, the conflict is deepening further. U.S. strikes on PMF units and retaliatory militia attacks are continuing, while disruptions to Iranian gas exports following the South Pars strike are directly affecting Iraq’s electricity supply. 🔹Regional reactions are becoming more pronounced but remain divided. Gulf states have condemned Iranian strikes on energy infrastructure, with Saudi Arabia warning of stronger responses, while Oman continues to emphasize de-escalation. 🔹At the same time, Qatar’s decision to expel Iranian military attachés highlights growing concern even among states that have maintained relatively stable ties with Tehran. 🔹Global economic effects are intensifying. Oil prices surged above $110 per barrel following the South Pars attack and subsequent Iranian strikes, reflecting a growing geopolitical risk premium tied to energy infrastructure. 🔹Iran continues to sustain oil exports despite the conflict. High prices and continued sales, primarily to China, are generating significant revenue, reinforcing Tehran’s ability to maintain its war effort. 🔹Inside Iran, the internal security dimension remains a central concern. Authorities have intensified crackdowns, including arrests and even executions for alleged espionage, while maintaining strong public mobilization of their supporters to deter unrest. 🔹At the same time, Iranian officials are increasingly framing the war as part of a broader transformation of the regional order. Statements from both the IRGC and the army (Artesh) suggest a shared view that U.S. influence in the region is declining. 🔹Another emerging issue is Iran’s nuclear program. While there is no confirmed policy shift, recent remarks by Iranian officials highlight uncertainty around the future of the longstanding prohibition on nuclear weapons by Ali Khamenei. Iranian foreign minister says that the new Supreme Leader has not yet clarified its position on this issue. 🔹Overall, the conflict is entering a phase where infrastructure warfare, leadership targeting, and potential ground operation scenarios are beginning to intersect, making escalation less predictable and harder to contain.

🇰🇼 Kuwait's KPC reports fires at 2 of the country's 3 refineries - the 346k b/d Mina al-Ahmadi and 454k b/d Mina Abdullah facilities - after drone strikes in the early hours of Thursday. Mina al-Ahmadi first, followed by Mina Abdullah. Unclear still whether ops halted. #oott

🇰🇼 Kuwait's KPC reports fires at 2 of the country's 3 refineries - the 346k b/d Mina al-Ahmadi and 454k b/d Mina Abdullah facilities - after drone strikes in the early hours of Thursday. Mina al-Ahmadi first, followed by Mina Abdullah. Unclear still whether ops halted. #oott

🇰🇼 Kuwait's KPC reports fires at 2 of the country's 3 refineries - the 346k b/d Mina al-Ahmadi and 454k b/d Mina Abdullah facilities - after drone strikes in the early hours of Thursday. Mina al-Ahmadi first, followed by Mina Abdullah. Unclear still whether ops halted. #oott