Strikes hit world’s largest natural gas field in Iran, and Tehran retaliates with more attacks

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates -- Israel killed Iran’s intelligence minister as it kept up its campaign against the Islamic Republic’s top leadership and reportedly attacked an Iranian offshore natural gas field Wednesday, as the war escalated pressure on the region’s economic lifeblood: energy.

Iran condemned the strike on its massive South Pars natural gas field, with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian warning of “uncontrollable consequences” that “could engulf the entire world.”

Iran escalated strikes on its Persian Gulf neighbors’ energy facilities, hitting gas facilities in Qatar after Israel launched an attack against Iran’s South Pars offshore natural gas field in the Persian Gulf that it shares with Doha. Qatar in response ordered Iranian Embassy officials to leave the country within 24 hours.

Tehran also struck the Habshan gas facility and Bab field in the United Arab Emirates, which the government there called a “dangerous escalation” in the Islamic Republic’s war against Israel and the United States. Authorities in Abu Dhabi say the gas operations had been shut down after interceptions over the sites.

The attacks on Qatar and the United Arab Emirates are ratcheting up pressure on the Gulf Arab states, which have been defending against Iranian attacks since the war began Feb. 28 but haven’t taken any offensive action against Iran as their military bases, civilian sites and energy operations have come under attack.

The price of oil surged another five per cent to over US$108 a barrel on international markets as Iran continued to squeeze the Strait of Hormuz shipping channel -- through which one-fifth of the world’s oil travels. The price of Brent crude, the international benchmark for oil, is now up close to 50 per cent since the start of the war.

As the Trump administration looks for ways to boost oil supplies, the U.S. Treasury Department eased sanctions on Venezuela Wednesday, saying U.S. companies will be allowed to do business with the country’s state-owned oil and gas company.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz promised “significant surprises” to come after Iran’s intelligence minister, Esmail Khatib, was killed in an overnight strike. A day earlier, Israel killed top Iranian security official Ali Larijani and the head of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard’s Basij force, Gen. Gholam Reza Soleimani.

Iran retaliated by unleashing missile strikes against Israel. Israel said an Iranian missile hit the occupied West Bank, marking the territory’s first fatalities during the Iran war, though missile debris has damaged homes and businesses.

Iran also attacked Saudi Arabia’s vast Eastern Province, home to many of its oil fields, as well as Kuwait, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates.

The United States was informed about Israel’s plans to strike Iran’s massive South Pars natural gas field, but did not take part in it, according to a person familiar with the matter. The person, who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity, would not say if the Trump administration agreed with the Israeli decision to attack the gas field -- part of the world’s largest such resource and a pillar of Iran’s energy supplies.

First fatalities in West Bank during Iran war

The Palestinian Red Crescent said at least three people were killed in the occupied West Bank town of Beit Awa as Iran fired missiles toward Israel. At least 13 others were injured. Earlier authorities said at least four people had died, but they adjusted the number as crew assessed the scene.

The Israeli military told The Associated Press an Iranian missile -- not shrapnel from an interception -- hit in the West Bank. Officials described it as a cluster munition that got past Israel’s air defence system.

Iran keeps up strikes on Gulf countries’ oil facilities

QatarEnergy said on X that a missile hit its massive Ras Laffan liquefied natural gas facility, sparking a fire that caused “extensive” damage before it was extinguished. The company had already halted production there because of Iranian attacks.

Since the war started, a small number of ships from Iran, Turkey, India and elsewhere have gotten through the Strait of Hormuz, which leads from the Persian Gulf to the open ocean. Iran insists the waterway is open, just not to the U.S. or its allies.

U.S. President Donald Trump expressed growing frustration that no allies have offered to help open the strait, posting on social media: “WE DON’T NEED THE HELP OF ANYONE!”

A top British military official, Armed Forces Minister Al Carns, said that any reopening of the strait is a long way off because of threats that include mines, attack boats and drones.

Iran launches multiple-warhead missiles at Israel

Responding to the killing of Larijani, the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard said Wednesday it had attacked central Israel with multiple-warhead missiles that have a better chance of evading defence systems. Footage filmed by The Associated Press showed at least one missile releasing a cluster of munitions over Israel.

Larijani was a senior policy adviser to the late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on strategy in nuclear talks with the Trump administration. He was sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury in January for his role “coordinating” Iran’s violent suppression of nationwide protests. Gen. Soleimani was also sanctioned by the U.S. and other nations for his role in suppressing dissent for years.

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei expressed condolences for the slaying of Larijani, according to a written statement published in Iranian media. “Undoubtedly, the assassination of such a person shows the extent of his importance and the hatred of the enemies of Islam towards him,” the statement said.

The younger Khamenei has not made a public appearance since his father was killed in the war’s opening salvos during which he reportedly was also wounded.

Renewed strikes in Iran

The Iranian judiciary’s Mizan news agency said an airstrike hit a courthouse complex in Larestan in southern Iran, and that at least eight people were killed. More than 1,300 people have been killed in Iran since the conflict started, according to the Iranian Red Crescent.

Mizan also reported that Iran executed a man on charges of spying for Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency. It identified him as Kourosh Keyvani and alleged he “provided images and information on sensitive locations” to Israel.

Sweden’s Foreign Ministry condemned what it said was the execution in Iran of a Swedish citizen arrested last year. Additional details were not available.

Israel pressures Hezbollah in Lebanon

Keeping up pressure on Iran-backed Hezbollah militants, Israeli strikes hit multiple apartment buildings in Beirut, killing at least a dozen people.

Israel flattened an apartment building in central Beirut about an hour after issuing an evacuation notice -- the fourth time the building was targeted. Israel’s military claimed it was being used by Hezbollah to store “millions of dollars intended to finance its activities,” without providing evidence.

Israeli strikes have displaced more than 1 million Lebanese -- roughly 20 per cent of the population -- according to the Lebanese government, which says 968 people have been killed.

In Israel, 14 people have been killed by Iranian missile fire. At least 13 U.S. military members have been killed.

Trump paid his respects Wednesday at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware, where the remains of six U.S. service members killed in the crash of a refueling aircraft were returned to their families, marking the second time he has attended the solemn military ritual since the war started.

------

By Jon Gambrell, Samy Magdy and Jamey Keaten, The Associated Press

Magdy reported from Cairo and Keaten from Geneva. Associated Press writers Qassim Abdul-Zahra in Baghdad, David Rising in Bangkok, Stefanie Dazio in Berlin, Aamer Mahdani in Washington, and Bassem Mroue and Sally Abou AlJoud in Beirut contributed to this report.