Energy infrastructure in Persian Gulf countries came under attack today, with fires reported at key facilities in Qatar and aerial threats intercepted in Saudi Arabia, following a warning from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Qatar’s Interior Ministry said Civil Defense teams were responding to a fire in the Ras Laffan Industrial City, a key natural gas processing facility and a bedrock of the Qatari economy, “following an Iranian targeting,” according to a post on X.
In a separate statement, QatarEnergy confirmed that Ras Laffan was struck by missiles, causing significant damage. The company said emergency teams were deployed immediately to contain the fires, adding that all personnel have been accounted for and no casualties were reported.
The Qatari Foreign Ministry warned in a statement today that such attacks represent “dangerous escalation, a flagrant violation of the State’s sovereignty, and a direct threat to its national security and the stability of the region.”
Earlier, Saudi Arabia’s Defense Ministry said it intercepted eight ballistic missiles over the capital, Riyadh. Debris fell in various parts of the city, including near a refinery south of Riyadh. The Saudi Civil Defense said four people identified only as Asian expatriates were injured by falling debris.
The ministry also said it intercepted six drones, including one headed for a gas facility in the Eastern Province. The drone was destroyed without causing damage, it said.
A CNN team on the ground said sirens went off in Riyadh several times today as foreign ministers and delegations arrived for a high-level meeting on regional security and stability.
Earlier, the IRGC warned that Iran’s adversaries should “await the powerful action” of its armed forces, following what Tehran described as attacks on its own energy infrastructure.
Iran has accused the United States and Israel of targeting its oil and gas facilities, including the South Pars Gas Field, the world’s largest natural gas field.
The IRGC also called for the evacuation of personnel and residents near certain oil facilities in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, raising concerns over further potential strikes.
The incidents mark a significant escalation in regional tensions as critical energy infrastructure is increasingly drawn into the conflict, heightening risks to global energy markets and regional stability.
CNN’s Sarah El Sirgany and Nic Robertson contributed to this report.