Eid al-Fitr celebrations were disrupted Friday after a drone attack set fire to Kuwait’s Mina Al-Ahmadi oil refinery, amid a series of Iranian strikes on Gulf energy infrastructure. Authorities reported no immediate casualties as firefighters brought the blaze under control.
The attack follows a strike on Qatar’s Ras Laffan LNG complex, which sustained “extensive damage,” sparking concerns about prolonged disruptions to global oil and gas supplies. The series of attacks is seen as retaliation for an Israeli airstrike on Iran’s South Pars gas field—a crucial part of the world’s largest natural gas reserve and vital to Iran’s energy needs.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asserted on Thursday that Israel is weakening Iran’s missile capabilities and that the conflict “is ending a lot faster than people think.” He declared, “We are winning and Iran is being decimated.”
Despite the death of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards spokesperson Ali Mohammad Naini in recent US-Israeli strikes, Iran vowed to continue missile production throughout the conflict. “Our missile industry deserves a perfect score… even under wartime conditions we continue missile production,” Naini was quoted saying by Fars news agency.
The conflict has escalated regionally, with missile attacks reported over Jerusalem, drone strikes in Saudi Arabia, and assaults on the United Arab Emirates. Of particular concern is Iran’s control of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway transporting about 20% of the world’s oil and LNG.
Energy analysts warn the damage to Qatar’s LNG plant could cost an estimated $20 billion annually and take up to five years to repair, potentially driving inflation and dampening global consumer spending. Analysts also caution that the war could escalate further, potentially involving limited US or Israeli ground operations aimed at securing the Strait of Hormuz.
Meanwhile, Lebanon faces a deadly escalation, with Israeli airstrikes killing over 1,000 people in southern Lebanon and Beirut and forcing millions to flee their homes. The humanitarian toll worsens as families cope with rising energy prices and shortages during the Eid celebrations.
In response to the growing crisis, French President Emmanuel Macron announced plans to engage the United Nations Security Council to secure safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz—but only after hostilities cease—reflecting mounting international concern over the humanitarian and economic fallout.
