Iran Launches Retaliatory Strikes on Arab Oil and Gas Facilities Following Intelligence Chief's Death
Iran targeted oil and gas facilities across the Gulf on Wednesday night local time. This came after Israel killed Intelligence Chief Esmail Khatib, marking a new blow to Tehran’s government.
Khatib’s death occurred two days after Security Chief Ali Larijani vowed revenge. Previously, an officer of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps, Basij Chief Gholamreza Soleimani, was also killed in an Israeli attack.
A wave of targeted assassinations has eliminated many senior Iranian leaders, although Washington’s top intelligence officials say the government remains in power, albeit weakened. The war itself began following US-Israeli attacks on Iran since 28 February, lasting nearly three weeks of conflict.
Quoting AFP on Thursday (19/3/2026), Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian described Khatib’s killing as a “cowardly assassination”. Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, stated in a message that “every drop of blood spilled has a price, and the vile killers of these martyrs will soon have to pay for it”.
The Iranian government also vowed to destroy the oil and gas industries of its Gulf neighbours after Israel’s attack on its energy fields in South Pars. This is the world’s largest gas reserve.
“We warn you once again that you have made a grave mistake by attacking the energy infrastructure of the Islamic Republic, and the response is being carried out,” the Revolutionary Guard said in a statement broadcast by Iranian media.
“If it is repeated, further attacks on your energy infrastructure and that of your allies will not stop until it is completely destroyed, and our response will be far more severe than tonight’s attack,” it added.
Explosions in Saudi Arabia-UAE-Qatar
More loud explosions were heard in Riyadh on Wednesday night, after authorities previously said they intercepted four ballistic missiles heading to the Saudi capital. The defence ministry also said it had destroyed a drone heading to a gas plant.
Qatar’s civil defence also announced a fire caused by Iran’s attack on the country’s main gas facilities on Wednesday night. However, Qatar reported no casualties.
“Civil Defence has initially brought the fire at Ras Laffan under control, with no reports of injuries,” the ministry said in a social media post.
Meanwhile, the UAE’s air defence was countering missile threats on Wednesday, authorities said, as Iran attacked Qatar’s main gas facilities after threatening other facilities across the Gulf following US-Israeli attacks on their own infrastructure.
“The UAE Air Defence is currently responding to missile and drone threats coming from Iran. The Ministry of Defence affirms that the sounds heard are the result of the air defence system intercepting missiles and drones,” the defence ministry said.