Israeli Strike Ignites Fire at Iran’s South Pars Gas Field, Halting Production

Iran has partially suspended operations at the South Pars gas field—its largest and the world’s biggest—following an Israeli airstrike that triggered a fire, according to semi-official Tasnim news agency. This marks the first confirmed Israeli attack on Iran’s oil and gas infrastructure, escalating an already tense regional conflict.

The South Pars field, located offshore in Iran’s southern Bushehr province and shared with Qatar, accounts for the bulk of Iran’s natural gas production. Iran, the world’s third-largest gas producer after the U.S. and Russia, produces approximately 275 billion cubic meters of gas annually—around 6.5% of global output. However, due to international sanctions, Iran consumes most of its gas domestically.

On Saturday, a fire broke out in one of the four operational units of Phase 14 at South Pars, halting the production of 12 million cubic meters of gas per day. The Iranian oil ministry confirmed the blaze has since been extinguished.

The strike comes amid Israel’s broader offensive on Iranian targets, which began Friday and has included the assassination of Iranian commanders and nuclear scientists. The operation aims to prevent Tehran from advancing its nuclear weapons program. Oil prices surged 9% on Friday in response to the initial attacks, even though Israel had initially avoided Iran’s energy sector.

Qatar, which refers to the shared gas field as the North Field, partners with global energy giants like ExxonMobil and Shell to produce 77 million tonnes of liquefied natural gas annually.

This strike on South Pars signals a sharp escalation that could disrupt global energy markets further and intensify geopolitical risks across the Middle East. Energy analysts are closely watching for potential retaliations and broader impacts on gas and oil supplies.