live U.S. to impose measures 'never seen before' on Iran, Treasury secretary says
The U.S. will impose unprecedented measures on Iran in order to economically isolate the country, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has said...
Qatar said Thursday that civil defence teams have fully extinguished all fires at the Ras Laffan Industrial City, 80 kilometres (50 miles) north of Doha, following Iranian missile strikes on the facility, with no injuries reported.
The Qatari Interior Ministry said containment and security operations are still underway at the site, and an explosive disposal team has been deployed to the area.
QatarEnergy reported that multiple LNG facilities in Ras Laffan had been hit overnight by missiles, resulting in fires and significant damage.
The attacks, which drew a furious response from U.S. President Donald Trump, came hours after Iran issued evacuation warnings for several oil facilities across Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar.
Ras Laffan, located 80 km (50 miles) north of Doha, is an energy-industry hub and hosts several international companies including Shell, the world's biggest LNG trader.
"We are currently assessing any potential impact on any asset operated or utilised by Shell in Ras Laffan Industrial City and will provide further information in due course," a Shell spokesperson said.
Qatar produces 77 million metric tons of LNG annually and is the world's second-largest exporter of the fuel used in power generation and industries. The Laffan refinery primarily processes condensate into refined products including aviation fuel.
Trump warns of retaliation
In a statement on social media, U.S. President Donald Trump warned Iran not to attack Qatari LNG facilities again and threatened to "massively blow up the entirety of the South Pars Gas Field" if it did so. He said Israel had attacked South Pars without informing Qatar or the United States.
Qatar's foreign ministry told Iran's security and military attaches to leave the country within 24 hours and declared them "persona non grata".
Saul Kavonic, head of research at Australia's MST Marquee, said attacks on Ras Laffan "could cause a lasting global gas shortage, but this won't pressure the Trump administration because the U.S. benefits economically from high global gas prices".
In nearby United Arab Emirates, authorities said they were responding to incidents at the Habshan gas facilities and at the Bab oil field caused by falling debris from intercepted missiles.
The gas facilities were shut down and no injuries were reported, the Abu Dhabi Media Office said.
The Habshan complex, operated by Abu Dhabi state oil giant ADNOC, is one of the world's largest gas processing facilities, comprising five plants with a total capacity of 6.1 billion standard cubic feet per day (bscfd).
Flights at Catania airport in Sicily will remain suspended until early Friday as ash from Mount Etna continues to disrupt air travel, following hundreds of cancellations and diversions over the past week.
Hundreds of flights have been cancelled or rerouted at Catania Airport over the past week as ash from Mount Etna’s ongoing eruption continues to disrupt air travel in Sicily.
Iran says the Strait of Hormuz remains under its control, rejecting U.S. President Donald Trump’s claim of “total control” over the strategic waterway and insisting it will not reopen until Washington fulfils its commitments under an interim deal.
The U.S. will impose unprecedented measures on Iran in order to economically isolate the country, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has said.
Iran and the United States remain at loggerheads over efforts to agree a permanent end to the war in the Gulf, according to a senior Iranian source who said there had been no progress in talks to revive the interim deal agreed in June and define a timeframe to implement it.
The United Nations has urged sustained international engagement with Afghanistan five years into Taliban rule, warning that restrictions on women and terrorism concerns risk undermining gains from improved security.
Iran says the U.S. war and military presence in the region have worsened marine pollution around the Strait of Hormuz, calling for environmental protection to form part of future arrangements governing the strategic waterway.
Georgia could gain a direct electricity link to Europe under plans for a new overland energy corridor connecting Azerbaijan, Georgia, Türkiye and Bulgaria, potentially reshaping regional power flows.
Türkiye has unveiled plans for joint military exercises and defence production with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan under a new security pact that includes a collective defence clause.
Uzbekistan will allow eligible businesses to operate for up to three months without a licence or permit under a new regime aimed at cutting barriers to market entry and attracting investment.
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