Iran warns of 'far stronger retaliation' if energy infrastructures attacked

Iran’s armed forces warned on Thursday (March 19) that any further attacks on Iran’s energy infrastructure would trigger “far stronger retaliation,” according to a televised statement by a military spokesperson.

Khatam al-Anbia base spokesperson, Ebrahim Zolfaghari, said Iranian forces had already carried out retaliatory strikes, setting fire to oil facilities described as U.S. interests in the region, and stressed that Iran’s response was ongoing.

He added that Iranian missile and drone attacks had targeted several U.S. military bases in the Gulf.

European gas prices surged 25% and oil gained 10% on Thursday after Iran attacked energy infrastructure in the Middle East in retaliation against Israeli attacks on it gas facilities, marking the biggest escalation of the nearly three-week war.

The Iranian aerial attacks caused extensive damage to the world's largest gas plant in Qatar, targeted a refinery in Saudi Arabia, forced the United Arab Emirates to shut gas facilities and started fires at two Kuwaiti refineries.

Production: Amy McConaghy