Iran Targets Qatari Gas Facility; GCC States Condemn 'Terrorist' Attacks

Tensions in the Middle East spiraled sharply upward on Thursday as Iran confirmed it had launched ballistic missile attacks targeting Qatar's Ras Laffan Industrial City, the site of the world’s largest natural gas facility. The strike, which Qatari officials confirmed caused a fire and "extensive damage" at the site, marks a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict that began with US-Israeli strikes on Iran late last month .

In response to the attack, Qatar's Foreign Ministry took the dramatic step of declaring the military and security attaches at the Iranian Embassy in Doha "persona non grata," ordering them and their staff to leave the country within 24 hours. The Ministry stated the decision was made "in light of the repeated Iranian targeting and brutal aggression" on Qatar's sovereignty . Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani condemned the actions, stating, "The war must stop immediately, and everyone knows who benefits from it and who is dragging the region into conflict" .

The Iranian strikes on Qatar came shortly after an Israeli airstrike targeted Iran's own South Pars gas field in Asaluyeh, which is part of the same geological formation as Qatar's facility. That strike reportedly halted production at two major refineries in Iran . In a statement carried by Iranian media, the Revolutionary Guards warned of further destruction, saying, "If it is repeated again, further attacks on your energy infrastructure and that of your allies will not stop until it is completely destroyed" .

The dramatic events unfolded as foreign ministers from a dozen Arab and Islamic countries convened in Riyadh for an emergency consultative meeting. The gathering, hosted by Saudi Arabia, included top diplomats from nations directly affected by the conflict, such as the UAE, Qatar, and Bahrain, as well as Turkiye, Egypt, and Pakistan. In a joint statement, the ministers condemned what they described as deliberate Iranian attacks using ballistic missiles and drones targeting civilian infrastructure, including oil facilities and desalination plants . Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan stated that Iran is "miscalculating" if it believes Gulf states are incapable of responding to its actions .