In the early hours of March 19 local time, Iran launched the 63rd round of the "True Promise-4" operation. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of Iran issued an urgent statement announcing that it had carried out a large-scale missile attack on oil and energy facilities in the region associated with the United States. This operation was a direct and proportionate retaliation for the attack on Iran's energy infrastructure earlier on the 18th.

An Important Iranian Natural Gas Facility Attacked

According to Israeli sources on the 18th, the Israeli Defense Forces attacked Iran's "largest natural gas facility" located in Bushehr, southern Iran, that day. This facility handles 40% of Iran's natural gas.

Israeli officials stated that the attack was coordinated with the United States. However, a U.S. official denied U.S. involvement in the attack on the Iranian natural gas facility, stating that the operation was carried out by Israel.

U.S. officials claimed that former President Trump was informed in advance of Israel's plan to attack the South Pars gas field and expressed support, intending to send a message to Iran in "response to its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz."

Iran Launches Retaliatory Strikes

Oil and Gas Facilities in Saudi Arabia and Qatar Attacked

Following the attack on Iran's energy infrastructure, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of Iran issued an urgent warning, stating that oil facilities in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar had become "legitimate targets."

In the early hours of March 19 local time, Iran launched the 63rd round of the "True Promise-4" operation. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of Iran issued an urgent statement, noting that this retaliatory action aimed to strike energy facilities "associated with U.S. interests and holding U.S. shares." The statement emphasized that Iran originally had no intention of expanding the war to the energy sector or affecting the economies of neighboring countries, but provocations from the enemy had led the conflict into a "new phase."

The statement confirmed that the Iranian armed forces had carried out multiple rounds of strikes to ensure that the damage inflicted on the enemy was on the same level as the destruction suffered by Iran's infrastructure. The statement also warned that if attacks continued, Iran would expand its strikes to include all energy infrastructure of U.S. and Israeli allies until they were "completely destroyed."

Iran Strikes U.S.-Exclusive Area of Riyadh Refinery, Causing Major Fire

According to Iranian sources on the 18th local time, Iran successfully struck the U.S.-exclusive area of the Riyadh Oil and Gas Joint Refinery located in the suburbs of the Saudi capital, Riyadh. A series of explosions occurred at the refinery, triggering a large-scale fire.

Missile Attack on Ras Laffan Industrial City in Qatar

On the 18th local time, QatarEnergy issued a statement saying that Ras Laffan Industrial City in Qatar was hit by a missile attack that evening. The statement indicated that the attack caused a major fire, resulting in significant property damage but no casualties. Currently, civil defense departments have brought the fire under control.