President Donald Trump has warned that the US would 'obliterate' Iran’s power plants if Tehran fails to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours, prompting Iranian officials to threaten retaliatory strikes against US and Israeli energy and infrastructure assets in the region.
The US and Israel launched an attack on the Natanz uranium-enrichment facility on Saturday morning, Iran's Tasnim news agency said, as the war in the Middle East entered its fourth week. No radioactive leaks occurred and residents near the site were not at risk, it added.
At least 150 tankers, including crude and LNG vessels, dropped anchor in open Gulf waters beyond the Strait of Hormuz and dozens more were stationary on the other side of the chokepoint, shipping data showed, after US and Israeli strikes on Iran plunged the region into turmoil.
US President Donald Trump has indicated that the war with Iran could continue for up to four weeks, warning that further American casualties are likely as fighting intensifies across the region.
Global oil prices surged on Monday as escalating hostilities in the Middle East rattled energy markets, raising fears of a prolonged supply disruption from one of the world’s most critical oil-producing regions.
QatarEnergy has ceased production of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and associated products due to military attacks on QatarEnergy’s operating facilities in Ras Laffan Industrial City and Mesaieed Industrial City, the company said.
Armed attacks on nuclear facilities should never take place and could result in radioactive releases with grave consequences within and beyond the boundaries of the state which has been attacked, IAEA has warned.
US President Donald Trump said Israel had 'violently lashed out' by striking Iran’s South Pars gas field, in an escalation of the conflict, prompting a retaliatory attack by Tehran on Qatar’s Ras Laffan Industrial City. He ruled out further such attacks by Israel unless Iran retaliated.
Oil prices edged lower on Wednesday after surging in the previous session, as traders weighed fresh US inventory data and signs of possible export relief from northern Iraq against continuing concerns over Middle East supply disruptions.
In a major escalation in the Middle East conflict, Iran's huge Pars gas field was hit on Wednesday in the first reported strikes on Iranian energy infrastructure in the Gulf during the US-Israeli war, prompting Tehran to warn its neighbours that their energy installations would be targeted "in the coming hours".
