Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has drawn criticism for targeting Iranian gas fields, a tactic reminiscent of Vladimir Putin's strikes on Ukraine's energy infrastructure. The UK and 42 other nations previously condemned such actions as potential war crimes under international humanitarian law.
On 5 December last year, the UK representative to the OSCE, Neil Holland, stated that Russia's deliberate strikes against Ukraine's civilian energy infrastructure constituted a clear pattern and may breach the Geneva Conventions. Israel has now employed similar methods against Iran, striking the South Pars gas field, which supplies at least 75% of Iran's gas and generates 80% of its electricity.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres said there are reasonable grounds to believe both Israel and Iran may have committed war crimes through strikes on oil and gas facilities. Iran retaliated by hitting Qatar's Ras Laffan industrial city, the world's largest LNG export hub, causing European natural gas prices to surge by 20%.
US President Donald Trump expressed dismay over the escalation, stating on Truth Social that the US was not consulted and warning against further attacks. He threatened to destroy the entire South Pars field if Qatar's LNG facilities were targeted again, highlighting concerns over global energy prices.
