Middle East war escalates after attack on key Iranian gas field

AFP / France 24
by FRANCE24
March 19, 2026
3 min read

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Israel struck Iran's portion of the South Pars gas field, the world's largest offshore gas reservoir shared with Qatar. The attack prompted Iran to escalate strikes against energy infrastructure across the Gulf region in retaliation. Oil prices surged in response to the escalating military exchanges and threat to critical energy supplies. South Pars is a vital economic asset for Iran and one of the world's most strategically important energy sources, making the field a high-value target in the broader Middle East conflict. The tit-for-tat cycle threatens to further destabilize regional energy markets and deepen the military escalation.

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