World's largest LNG plant in Qatar damaged after Iran attack
What's the story
Iranian missile strikes on Qatar's Ras Laffan Industrial City have caused "significant damage," the Qatari Foreign Ministry has confirmed. The Ras Laffan facility, located 80km northeast of Doha, is the world's largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) production site and accounts for around 20% of global LNG output. "Qatar expresses its strong condemnation and denunciation of the blatant Iranian attack targeting Ras Laffan Industrial City, which caused fires resulting in significant damage to the facility," Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
Diplomatic fallout
Qatar expels Iranian military attaches
Qatar's Ministry of Interior said a fire at the site has been preliminarily contained, and no injuries have been recorded. In response, Qatar has expelled military and security attachés from the Iranian embassy, giving them 24 hours to leave. The ministry said this decision was taken after Iran's repeated attacks on Qatari territory. "Qatar considers this assault a dangerous escalation, a flagrant violation of its sovereignty, and a direct threat to its national security," the Foreign Ministry said.
Twitter Post
Missile hits Ras Laffan LNG facility
VIDEO | Missile hits Qatar Energy’s Ras Laffan LNG facility as Iran continues strikes on Gulf oil infrastructure.
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) March 19, 2026
(Source: AFP/PTI)
(Only for Use in India)
(Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/n147TvrpG7) pic.twitter.com/RWhlnwirwv
Escalating tensions
Iran threatens to target Gulf oil and gas facilities
Iran has threatened to target several oil and gas facilities in the Gulf region in retribution for an Israeli attack on its South Pars gasfield, as the fallout of the US-Israeli war on Iran worsens. Iran warned of attacks against Qatar's Mesaieed Petrochemical Complex, Mesaieed Holding Company, and Ras Laffan Refinery; Saudi Arabia's Samref Refinery and Jubail Petrochemical Complex; and the United Arab Emirates' Al Hosn gasfield.
Iran
Mojtaba Khamenei warned of retaliation
The attack comes after Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei warned of retaliation for the killing of Supreme National Security Council head Ali Larijani. He threatened "anti-Islamists" and said, "Shedding this blood at the foot of the tree of the Islamic system only makes it stronger, and of course, every blood has a price that the criminal murderers of the martyrs must pay soon." "Undoubtedly, justice will be served," he said in a statement
Defense response
Saudi Arabia, UAE intercept missiles fired from Iran
The same day, Saudi Arabia's air defenses intercepted four ballistic missiles targeting Riyadh and two aimed at its eastern region. The United Arab Emirates also intercepted 13 ballistic missiles and 27 drones from Iran. Operations were suspended at the Habshan gas facility after debris fell following a successful missile interception. No injuries were reported in the UAE.