New: Iran Lights a Fuse and a Key Industrial Site in Qatar Goes Up in Flames
By Ward ClarkThere is no telling what acts might be taken by desperate men with weapons. In just such an example, what's left of Iran's military forces just launched an attack on Qatar, a Gulf state that has been friendly to Iran over the years. A major industrial center, the Ras Laffan Industrial City, has been attacked with missiles and badly damaged.
Several reports have already hit X, the world's bulletin board.
This is a major development. Qatari officials spoke out about the strikes earlier today against Iran’s South Pars field over concern that Iran could target their energy infrastructure in response.
— Trey Yingst (@TreyYingst) March 18, 2026
Ras Laffan is the largest liquefied natural gas export facility in the world. https://t.co/NZfHla7nok
Well, Iran did target Qatar's energy structure. We might note that last September, President Trump hosted Qatar's Prime Minister, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, on Air Force One for a meeting to discuss the usual "joint concerns." Could Iran see that as Qatar now cozying up to the United States?
There are, reportedly, extensive fires at the Ras Laffan Industrial City after the attacks:
QatarEnergy Statement on Missile Attacks on Ras Laffan Industrial City
— QatarEnergy (@qatarenergy) March 18, 2026
QatarEnergy confirms that Ras Laffan Industrial City this evening has been the subject of missile attacks.
Emergency response teams were deployed immediately to contain the resulting fires, as extensive…
The post continues:
Emergency response teams were deployed immediately to contain the resulting fires, as extensive damage has been caused. All personnel have been accounted for and no casualties have been reported at this time.
QatarEnergy will continue to communicate the latest available information.
And:
BREAKING:
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) March 18, 2026
Iran has struck the world’s largest natural gas export facility, the Ras Laffan refinery in Qatar.
Qatar helped the Islamic regime in Iran for years, but is still getting hit. There’s no honor among thieves and Islamists pic.twitter.com/VofnZk9wzK
The Ras Laffan Industrial City is a major lynchpin of Qatar's economy. If it is their primary production center for natural gas as well as natural gas liquification for export. Several local and international energy companies have offices and facilities in the city as well. It's the largest artificial harbor in the world as well as the world's largest liquified natural gas (LNG) export facility. If the facilities there are badly damaged, that will put a pretty good dent in global LNG supply, with a concomitant rise in prices.
The question is this: Will Qatar attempt any retaliation?
This is something you don't see every day. #Qatar has declared #Iran's regime's Military and Security Attaches persona non grata. https://t.co/Qm2wz1xxZZ
— Jason Brodsky (@JasonMBrodsky) March 18, 2026
That's right; that's a very significant diplomatic move when you kick another nation's diplomatic staff out of your country. It's a safe bet that Qatar is burning up some telephone lines right now, figuring out what to do next, and whose side they are going to be on.
As for Iran, in the regime's apparent desire to go down swinging, they seem determined to make enemies out of every other country in the Middle East. All these acts smack of desperation - and they have good reason to be desperate.
This is a developing story. We'll be updating you as events warrant. Stay tuned, because things in the Middle East may be about to get even more interesting.
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