Israel Strikes South Pars Gas Field — First Attack on Iran's Upstream Gas Infrastructure

Israeli airstrikes struck the South Pars gas field, the world's largest natural gas reservoir shared between Iran and Qatar (Qatar's side is North Dome). South Pars handles a major share of Iran's natural gas exports and LNG production. This is the first direct attack on Iran's upstream oil and gas extraction infrastructure since the war began — a significant escalation beyond the downstream infrastructure (refineries, storage depots, ports) struck in earlier phases. Oil prices responded sharply, with Brent crude climbing back to approximately $108–110/barrel after falling to ~$101 on Day 19. The strike compounds pressure on Iran's energy sector following the Kharg Island oil export terminal strikes.