Iranian drone strikes ignited fires at Kuwait’s Mina al-Ahmadi oil refinery on Friday, marking a second consecutive day of attacks on energy infrastructure in the Gulf region. The escalating conflict, triggered by Israel’s recent strike on Iran’s South Pars gas field, is drawing international concern and raising the specter of wider regional war.
Energy operations in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia were also targeted Friday, with damage reported at facilities in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and the Samref refinery. Tehran had vowed retaliation after the Israeli military attacked South Pars, a gas field that accounts for as much as 75 percent of Iran’s natural gas production, on Wednesday.
The attacks have already had a significant economic impact. QatarEnergy CEO Saad al-Kaabi reported extensive damage to the Ras Laffan liquefied natural gas facility, reducing exports by approximately 17 percent and resulting in an estimated $20 billion in lost annual revenue. Repairs to the facility are expected to take up to five years.
While Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged to halt further strikes on South Pars at the behest of U.S. President Donald Trump, Trump issued a warning on his Truth Social platform that the United States would “massively blow up the entirety of the South Pars Gas Field” if Iran continues its attacks on Qatar.
The U.S. Military is reportedly increasing its presence in the region. Unnamed officials told the New York Times that three warships carrying 2,500 Marines are en route to the Middle East, potentially to replace troops deployed from Japan. Despite Trump’s public statements against deploying troops, some of these Marine units are equipped for minor-scale ground incursions and evacuation operations.
Meanwhile, Trump has publicly criticized European allies for failing to deploy warships to help secure the Strait of Hormuz. In a post on Truth Social, he stated, “Without the U.S.A., NATO IS A PAPER TIGER!” and accused European nations of being “COWARDS” for prioritizing their own economic interests over regional security.
The disruption to energy supplies has driven up global oil prices, with Brent crude trading above $110 a barrel on Friday.
Separately, Denmark took steps to deter potential U.S. Intervention in Greenland, deploying explosives and blood supplies in January, according to Danish public broadcaster DR. The move followed repeated threats from Trump regarding Greenland and a warning from Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen that a U.S. Attack on a NATO ally would “collapse” the alliance. A framework deal was subsequently reached at the World Economic Forum, granting the U.S. Increased access to Greenland’s resources and enhancing NATO’s Arctic presence.
The United Kingdom announced Friday that it would allow the U.S. Military to apply its bases for attacks targeting Iranian sites threatening the Strait of Hormuz, a shift from its previous policy of allowing only defensive actions. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded on X, warning that the decision “is putting British lives in danger” and asserting Iran’s right to self-defense.
Two Iranian nationals appeared in a London court Thursday, facing charges of spying on Jewish and Israeli institutions on behalf of Tehran’s intelligence service. Targets included synagogues, the Israeli Embassy, and Jewish community centers. British security services have previously warned of the threat posed by the Iranian regime, citing 20 Iran-backed plots to kidnap or kill British nationals since January 2022.
