Iran president confirms intelligence minister assassination as gas field hit in escalation

Iran’s president confirmed Wednesday the assassination of Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib, as the country’s massive Pars gas field was struck in a major escalation of the ongoing U.S.-Israeli war.

The strike on Pars, Iran’s section of the world’s largest natural gas deposit shared with Qatar, marked the first reported attack on Iranian energy infrastructure in the Gulf during the conflict.

Iranian media said gas tanks and parts of a refinery were hit, prompting evacuations and emergency efforts to contain a fire.

Tehran warns of wider strikes

Iran warned neighboring countries that their energy installations could be targeted within hours, urging evacuations at key facilities in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar.

“These centers have become direct and legitimate targets,” Iranian state media cited officials as saying, signaling a potential widening of the conflict to regional energy infrastructure.

Qatar condemned the strike as a “dangerous and irresponsible” escalation, warning it could threaten global energy security. Israeli media reported the attack was carried out by Israel with U.S. consent, though Israel’s military did not immediately comment.

Leaders targeted, conflict widens

Israel said it had killed Khatib, a claim later confirmed by Iran’s president, following the killing of senior security figure Ali Larijani a day earlier.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said no Iranian official was beyond reach, adding that the military had been authorized to target senior figures without additional political approval.

Iran retaliated with missile strikes on Israeli cities, including Tel Aviv, Haifa, and Beersheba, with Israeli authorities reporting casualties and damage in residential areas.

Energy shock and regional fallout

The attack on Iran’s energy sector raises the stakes for global oil and gas markets, already strained by weeks of conflict that have disrupted supplies. Fuel prices have surged, with diesel in the United States rising above $5 per gallon.

Israel has also intensified strikes in Lebanon, including heavy bombardment in Beirut, as it targets the Iran-backed Hezbollah group. Lebanese officials reported multiple casualties and widespread destruction in residential districts.

Iranian and allied attacks have caused casualties across the region, while rights groups estimate thousands have been killed since the conflict began in late February.