Qatar Forced to Halt All LNG Production Following Iranian Counterattacks on Energy Infrastructure

Qatar has been forced to halt all gas production — a cascading consequence of Iranian counterattacks on energy infrastructure across the Gulf following Israel's March 19 strike on South Pars gas field. Qatar is one of the world's biggest producers of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and the disruption is reverberating globally, disrupting supplies of fuel and essential fertilizers used in food production. The UN World Food Programme and economic analysts have warned the 2026 escalation in Iran is driving significant long-term increases in global food prices. Qatar's North Field (the world's largest natural gas reservoir, continuous with Iran's South Pars) is at the center of the disruption. The halt represents the most dramatic single energy production disruption since the conflict began — exceeding even the Kharg Island oil terminal strike in near-term economic impact.