Donald Trump has threatened to \u201cmassively blow up\u201d the entire South Pars gas field if Iran carries out any more retaliatory attacks on Qatar\u2019s liquefied natural gas (LNG) facilities. The US president also said on his Truth Social platform <\/a>that the US \u201cknew nothing\u201d about Israel\u2019s Wednesday attack on the South Pars field \u2013 which Iran shares with Qatar \u2013 and neither did Qatar. Trump declared \u201cno more attacks will be made by Israel\u201d on the field \u2013 unless Iran attacks Qatar\u2019s LNG, adding: \u201cIn which instance the United States of America, with or without the help or consent of Israel, will massively blow up the entirety of the South Pars Gas Field at an amount of strength and power that Iran has never seen or witnessed before.\u201d<\/p>\n While Trump said the US \u201cknew nothing\u201d ahead of the South Pars attack, US media have reported that the White House was aware of it. The Wall Street Journal, citing unnamed US officials, said<\/a> Trump approved of it in a bid to pressure Tehran into unblocking the strait of Hormuz.<\/p>\n Israel struck the South Pars field <\/a>hours after Israeli forces killed the regime\u2019s intelligence minister and launched some of the most intense airstrikes in Beirut for decades. Iran later launched attacks on its Gulf neighbours\u2019 energy facilities: Qatar\u2019s massive Ras Laffan LNG facility, and the Habshan gas facility and Bab field in the United Arab Emirates. The UAE said the Habshan and Bab field operations were shut down after interceptions over the sites, while Qatari officials said all fires at the Ras Laffan hub had been contained<\/a>.<\/p>\n Saudi Arabia has not ruled out military action in response to repeated missile and drone attacks from Iran, the foreign minister said. Speaking after a meeting in Riyadh of foreign ministers from the region, Prince Faisal bin Farhan said on Thursday that Iran \u201ctries to pressure its neighbours\u201d with attacks.<\/p>\n Vessels were reported to be hit by unknown projectiles overnight in the Persian Gulf and in the Gulf of Oman, the UK Maritime Trade Operations centre said. All crew were reported to be \u201csafe and well\u201d after the incident east of Ras Laffan, Qatar, it said, while earlier it received a report of another vessel being hit east of the UAE port of Khawr Fakkan by a projectile that caused a fire onboard.<\/p>\n Iran has executed three people convicted of killing police officers and carrying out operations helping the US and Israel during unrest earlier this year, the Iranian judiciary said.<\/p>\n French president Emmanuel Macron called for an immediate moratorium on striking civilian infrastructure, particularly energy and water supply facilities, saying that civilian populations and their needs had to be \u201cprotected from military escalation\u201d. He made the call in a social media post after speaking with Donald Trump<\/a> and the emir of Qatar.<\/p>\n Cathay Pacific suspended flights to and from Dubai over the Middle East war.<\/p>\n Iran seeks compensation from the United Arab Emirates, accusing it of enabling US attacks against Iranian territory, Iran\u2019s ambassador to the UN has told the UN secretary general in a letter, according to a Nournews report.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a003.12 EDT<\/p>\n Key events<\/p>\n Show key events only<\/p>\n Please turn on JavaScript to use this feature<\/p>\n US defense secretary Pete Hegseth is due to hold a press conference on the Iran<\/a> war at 8am ET (midday GMT).<\/p>\n We will have a live stream of that so you can watch along, and we\u2019ll also provide text updates.<\/p>\n Donald Trump, Pete Hegseth and US Air Force General Dan Caine. Photograph: Aaron Schwartz\/Pool\/Aaron Schwartz – Pool\/CNP\/ShutterstockShare<\/a><\/p>\n Iran\u2019s foreign minister has criticised Emmanuel Macron, accusing him of failing to condemn Israel<\/a> and the United States\u2019 war with the Islamic republic, while voicing concern over Tehran\u2019s retaliation.<\/p>\n On Wednesday, Macron called for imposing a moratorium on strikes after Iran<\/a> attacked Qatar\u2019s key Ras Laffan facilities, part of the world\u2019s largest gas field.<\/p>\n The strikes followed an attack on Iranian facilities in the same gas field, which it shares with Qatar.<\/p>\n Abbas Araghchi responded by accusing Macron of ignoring earlier US-Israeli attacks on Iran.<\/p>\n He said the French president \u201chas not uttered one word of condemnation of the Israel-US war on Iran\u201d, and that he had failed to denounce strikes on fuel storages in Tehran on 7 March.<\/p>\n Araghchi wrote:<\/p>\n double quotation markHis current \u2018concern\u2019 didn\u2019t follow Israel\u2019s attack on our gas facilities. It follows our retaliation. Sad!<\/p>\n Share<\/a> As we\u2019ve been reporting, gas prices jumped and oil prices have risen again after the escalation of attacks by Israel<\/a> and Iran on gasfields heightened fears of prolonged disruption to international energy supplies.<\/p>\n Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, rose by 8% to $116 a barrel. Crude prices have soared by nearly 60% since US and Israeli attacks on Iran<\/a> started the war on 28 February.<\/p>\n Chart showing oil prices<\/a><\/p>\n European gas prices jumped, with the Dutch wholesale gas price up 24% at \u20ac68 a megawatt hour, its highest since the end of December 2022. UK gas prices have more than doubled since late February.<\/p>\n You can read our full report on this here:<\/p>\n Share<\/a> Germany\u2019s chancellor Friedrich Merz, meanwhile, also called for de-escalation in the Middle East, welcoming what he said were signals by Trump that combat action in Iran could come to an end, which could allow Europe<\/a> to contribute to securing peace in the region.<\/p>\n \u201cI am expressly grateful that the US president sent a signal in this regard last night that he is prepared to bring the fighting to an end,\u201d he told reporters ahead of an EU summit in Brussels in comments reported by Reuters.<\/p>\n Obviously, since then Trump has changed his narrative a bit again\u2026<\/p>\n Either way, Merz reiterated that Europe is ready to help stabilise the Middle East once combat action has stopped.<\/p>\n Share<\/a> French president Emmanuel Macron has repeated his public call from last night<\/a> after his phone calls with US president Donald Trump and the Emir of Qatar to de-escalate and prevent energy sites from being destroyed.<\/p>\n He also condemned the latest Iranian attacks on Gulf energy sites as \u201creckless escalation\u201d.<\/p>\n He warned that if Middle Eastern energy \u201cproduction capacities themselves are destroyed, this war will have a much more lasting impact\u201d, calling for \u201cdirect talks between the Americans and Iranians on this matter\u201d.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a006.44 EDT<\/p>\n Energy sites in the Middle East that have come under attack In retaliation for an Israeli strike on Iran\u2019s South Pars gas field <\/a>\u2014 the largest natural gas field in the world \u2014 Tehran is exerting pressure on Gulf states by targeting critical energy infrastructure.<\/p>\n Officials in Qatar said this morning that Iranian missiles struck Ras Laffan, the country\u2019s principal gas hub, causing what officials described as \u201csignificant damage\u201d.<\/p>\n Kuwait Petroleum Corporation reported that a drone hit an operational unit at the Mina Al-Ahmadi refinery, about 50km (31 miles) south of Kuwait City, sparking a fire. No casualties were reported.<\/p>\n A second drone strike targeted the Mina Abdullah refinery in southern Kuwait, also igniting a fire, according to the state oil company.<\/p>\n UAE authorities said they were dealing with incidents at Habshan gas facility and Bab oilfield, after debris from intercepted missiles fell in the area. No injuries have been reported.<\/p>\n Saudi Arabia\u2019s defence ministry said a drone crashed at the Saudi Aramco-operated Samref refinery in the Red Sea port of Yanbu, with \u201cdamage assessments\u201d ongoing.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Here are some pictures on the newswires from the Middle East:<\/p>\n Tents of displaced families covered with plastic sheeting to shield from stormy weather along Beirut\u2019s seafront in Lebanon. Photograph: Dimitar Dilkoff\/AFP\/Getty ImagesA displaced girl plays near a puddle in Beirut. Photograph: Khalil Ashawi\/ReutersIranian families gather behind the ruins of a building in Tehran. Photograph: Morteza Nikoubazl\/NurPhoto\/ShutterstockIsraeli authorities inspect the damage after an Iranian missile fragment fell on an agricultural structure in Adanim, Israel. Photograph: Erik Marmor\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a>Iran considers transit fees on shipping through strait of Hormuz – state media<\/p>\n Iran is reportedly considering a transit fee on shipping passing through the strait of Hormuz, according to state media.<\/p>\n About 20% of global oil supplies have been effectively blocked from transiting the strait of Hormuz since Iran began attacking ships. US president Donald Trump<\/a> has suggested sending warships to clear a safe path for commercial sea traffic, a notion firmly rejected by European allies.<\/p>\n Iran\u2019s semi-official Mehr news agency reported that a new Iranian government would sanction \u201cdomination-seeking powers\u201d who use the strait of Hormuz.<\/p>\n \u201cAt the end of current imposed war, with drawing a new regime for the strait of Hormuz, Iran will turn its position from a sanctioned country to an enhanced power in the region and the world,\u201d Mohammad Mokhber, an adviser to Iran\u2019s supreme leader, was quoted as saying.<\/p>\n \u201cWe will sanction those domination-seeking arrogant powers using the strait of Hormuz to not allow their ships pass through the strait.\u201d<\/p>\n AFP, citing the state-affiliated Iranian Student news agency, reported an Iranian politician as saying the government was considering a bill under which countries using the key trade route to pay tolls and taxes to Tehran for shipping, energy transit and food supplies.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Four people killed in overnight Iranian missile attacks against Israel<\/p>\n Four people including three Palestinian women and a foreign national were killed overnight during Iran\u2019s missile attacks against Israel<\/a>.<\/p>\n Three Palestinian women were killed in Beit Awwa, near Hebron in the occupied West Bank, when debris or possibly a munition from an Iranian missile fell on a women\u2019s hair salon, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent and local media reports.<\/p>\n A Thai agricultural worker was also killed in central Israel, Thailand\u2019s foreign ministry said. The Israeli Hareetz newspaper reported a Thai national in his 20s was killed by a direct hit on an agricultural structure in the Sharon area just north of Tel Aviv.<\/p>\n Damaged building in Tel Aviv following a barrage of missiles launched from Iran. Photograph: Amir Cohen\/ReutersShare<\/a>Drone crashed at Saudi oil refinery, defence ministry says<\/p>\n Saudi Arabia\u2019s defence ministry said a drone crashed at oil giant Saudi Aramco\u2019s Samref refinery in the Red Sea port of Yanbu, according to state media.<\/p>\n Maj Gen Turki Al-Malki, a defence ministry spokesperson, said a ballistic missile launched toward Yanbu port was intercepted and destroyed, Saudi Press Agency reported.<\/p>\n The ministry said \u201cdamage assessment\u201d was under way, without elaborating.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>European gas prices jump 35% as attacks on energy infrastructure in the Gulf intensify<\/p>\n European natural gas prices rose as much as 35% today after attacks to energy infrastructure in the Gulf intensified.<\/p>\n European gas prices have increased by more than 60% since the US-Israeli war on Iran began on 28 February, Reuters news agency reported.<\/p>\n The price of Brent crude \u2013 the global benchmark \u2013 also increased to $112 a barrel today. It settled yesterday at $107.38 a barrel, according to reports, bringing the cost of crude oil up more than 48% since the war began. It has not dropped below the $100 threshold since 13 March.<\/p>\n Uncertainty continues to grow over how the escalating war in the Middle East would affect energy supplies, as attacks were reported in Qatar and Kuwait this morning, a day after Iran\u2019s largest natural gas field was hit.<\/a><\/p>\n Qatar said Iranian missiles caused \u201cextensive damage\u201d to its main gas facility at Ras Laffan, while Kuwaiti state media reported attacks at two of the country\u2019s oil refineries.<\/p>\n For the latest economic and financial news, you can follow our business live blog here:<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Kuwaiti state media has reported a drone attack on a second oil refinery in the country.<\/p>\n The attack at Mina Abdullah refinery, operated by Kuwait National Petroleum Company, was targeted this morning by a drone resulting in a fire at the site, the Kuwait News Agency reported.<\/p>\n \u201cEmergency and rapid response teams were immediately deployed to contain and control the fire in accordance with the highest approved safety standards,\u201d the agency said in a post on X.<\/p>\n It did not say where the attack was launched from, but came moments after a report of a drone attack at the Mina Al-Ahmadi refinery about 7 miles away.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Oil refinery targeted in Kuwait – state media<\/p>\n An oil refinery in Kuwait was targeted in a drone strike this morning, sparking a \u201climited\u201d fire , according to state media.<\/p>\n The fire at the Mina Al-Ahmadi refinery was contained and there were no reports of injuries, the Kuwait News Agency reported, citing the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation. The report did not say where the strike was launched from.<\/p>\n The oil refinery is located about 30 miles south of Kuwait City. It is one of the largest oil refineries in the Middle East, with a petroleum production capacity of 730,000 barrels per day.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a003.38 EDT<\/p>\n Interim summary<\/p>\n In case you\u2019re just just joining us, here\u2019s a recap of the latest developments in the US-Israel war on Iran<\/a>. It\u2019s 10.30am in Tehran, 9am in Tel Aviv and Beirut and 3am in Washington DC.<\/p>\n Donald Trump has threatened to \u201cmassively blow up\u201d the entire South Pars gas field if Iran carries out any more retaliatory attacks on Qatar\u2019s liquefied natural gas (LNG) facilities. The US president also said on his Truth Social platform <\/a>that the US \u201cknew nothing\u201d about Israel\u2019s Wednesday attack on the South Pars field \u2013 which Iran shares with Qatar \u2013 and neither did Qatar. Trump declared \u201cno more attacks will be made by Israel\u201d on the field \u2013 unless Iran attacks Qatar\u2019s LNG, adding: \u201cIn which instance the United States of America, with or without the help or consent of Israel, will massively blow up the entirety of the South Pars Gas Field at an amount of strength and power that Iran has never seen or witnessed before.\u201d<\/p>\n While Trump said the US \u201cknew nothing\u201d ahead of the South Pars attack, US media have reported that the White House was aware of it. The Wall Street Journal, citing unnamed US officials, said<\/a> Trump approved of it in a bid to pressure Tehran into unblocking the strait of Hormuz.<\/p>\n Israel struck the South Pars field <\/a>hours after Israeli forces killed the regime\u2019s intelligence minister and launched some of the most intense airstrikes in Beirut for decades. Iran later launched attacks on its Gulf neighbours\u2019 energy facilities: Qatar\u2019s massive Ras Laffan LNG facility, and the Habshan gas facility and Bab field in the United Arab Emirates. The UAE said the Habshan and Bab field operations were shut down after interceptions over the sites, while Qatari officials said all fires at the Ras Laffan hub had been contained<\/a>.<\/p>\n A fireball rises from the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted a building in Beirut\u2019s Bashoura neighbourhood on Wednesday. Photograph: Fadel Itani\/AFP\/Getty Images<\/p>\n Saudi Arabia has not ruled out military action in response to repeated missile and drone attacks from Iran, the foreign minister said. Speaking after a meeting in Riyadh of foreign ministers from the region, Prince Faisal bin Farhan said on Thursday that Iran \u201ctries to pressure its neighbours\u201d with attacks.<\/p>\n Vessels were reported to be hit by unknown projectiles overnight in the Persian Gulf and in the Gulf of Oman, the UK Maritime Trade Operations centre said. All crew were reported to be \u201csafe and well\u201d after the incident east of Ras Laffan, Qatar, it said, while earlier it received a report of another vessel being hit east of the UAE port of Khawr Fakkan by a projectile that caused a fire onboard.<\/p>\n Iran has executed three people convicted of killing police officers and carrying out operations helping the US and Israel during unrest earlier this year, the Iranian judiciary said.<\/p>\n French president Emmanuel Macron called for an immediate moratorium on striking civilian infrastructure, particularly energy and water supply facilities, saying that civilian populations and their needs had to be \u201cprotected from military escalation\u201d. He made the call in a social media post after speaking with Donald Trump<\/a> and the emir of Qatar.<\/p>\n Cathay Pacific suspended flights to and from Dubai over the Middle East war.<\/p>\n Iran seeks compensation from the United Arab Emirates, accusing it of enabling US attacks against Iranian territory, Iran\u2019s ambassador to the UN has told the UN secretary general in a letter, according to a Nournews report.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a003.12 EDT<\/p>\n Oil giant Saudi Aramco\u2019s Samref refinery in the Red Sea port of Yanbu was targeted in an aerial attack on Thursday, an industry source has told Reuters, adding there was minimal impact.<\/p>\n Iran\u2019s Islamic Revolutionary Guards on Thursday issued an evacuation warning to several oil facilities across Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, including Samref, which is a joint venture between Saudi Aramco and Exxon Mobil.<\/p>\n Yanbu is currently the only export outlet for any crude oil out of Gulf Arab countries as Iran has effectively shut the vital strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world\u2019s oil supply normally flows.<\/p>\n Saudi Aramco did not immediately respond to a request for comment, the report said.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Iran seeks compensation from the United Arab Emirates, accusing it of enabling US attacks against Iranian territory, Iran\u2019s ambassador to the United Nations has told the UN secretary general in a letter, according to a Nournews report published on Thursday.<\/p>\n In the letter, cited by Reuters, Amir Saeid Iravani said the UAE\u2019s decision to allow its territory to be used for the strikes constituted \u201can internationally wrongful act that entailed state responsibility\u201d.<\/p>\n Tehran said the UAE had an international responsibility to provide reparation, including compensation for all material and moral damages incurred.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Donald Trump has said the US \u201cknew nothing\u201d of Israel\u2019s attack on the huge South Pars gasfield<\/a> in Iran on Wednesday, but US media reported earlier that the White House was aware of the attack.<\/p>\n The Wall Street Journal reported<\/a>, citing unnamed US officials, that the US president approved of it in a bid to pressure Tehran into unblocking the strait of Hormuz.<\/p>\n A few hours ago Trump threatened to \u201cmassively blow up\u201d the South Pars<\/a> gasfield \u2013 the world\u2019s largest – after the Israel hit on the site prompted Tehran to step up attacks on energy facilities across the Middle East.<\/p>\n Smoke and fire rise near the South Pars gas field in Iran\u2019s Bushehr province amid the war with the US and Israel. Photograph: Social Media\/Reuters<\/p>\n There\u2019s more on this and other key news lines from the war in our latest full report from my colleague Callum Jones<\/a> here:<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/2002.jpg\")
A fireball rises from the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted a building in Beirut\u2019s Bashoura neighbourhood on Wednesday. Photograph: Fadel Itani\/AFP\/Getty Images<\/p>\n![\"Julia](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/1773920109_847_Julia-Kollewe,-L.png\")
Julia Kollewe<\/p>\n![\"Jakub](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Jakub_Krupa.png\")
Jakub Krupa<\/p>\nJakub Krupa<\/p>\n![\"Lorenzo](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/1773920110_104_Lorenzo_Tondo.jpg\")
Lorenzo Tondo<\/p>\n