Iran-Israel conflict (Social Media)
International News: Tension in West Asia has once again reached the verge of war. The ongoing confrontation between Israel and Iran has now become even fiercer. Since Thursday night, both countries have been launching intense drone and missile attacks against each other. Israel has claimed that it has targeted Iran's Ministry of Defense and several important military bases, while Iran has retaliated by striking northern Israel.
On Thursday night, Israel launched a broad airstrike targeting several oil depots and gas refineries in Iran. This operation, dubbed "Operation Rising Lion," aims to neutralize Iran's nuclear capabilities. Israel believes that if Iran succeeds in developing an atomic bomb, it would pose a direct threat to Israel's existence.
The Israeli attacks caused a fire in Phase 14 of the major gas field South Pars, located in southern Iran, partially halting gas production. Iran's Ministry of Oil confirmed that the fire has been brought under control, but the production of 12 million cubic meters of gas has been disrupted.
In the early hours of Friday, Iran retaliated by launching powerful missile and drone attacks on northern and central Israel. According to the Israeli Ministry of Defense, seven people have died in these attacks so far, including a child. More than 100 people have been injured in central Israel. However, Israel’s air defense system, the Iron Dome, intercepted a large number of Iranian drones in the sky, preventing further damage.
The attacks on Iran’s gas infrastructure have sparked concern in the global energy markets. Iran produces about 275 billion cubic meters (BCM) of natural gas annually, accounting for approximately 6.5% of global gas production. However, due to international sanctions, Iran is unable to export this gas and uses it primarily for domestic consumption.
This gas-rich region is shared with Qatar, which refers to its portion as the North Field. With the help of multinational companies like Exxon and Shell, Qatar produces around 77 million tons of liquefied natural gas (LNG) annually, supplying energy to Europe and Asia.
The Israeli Prime Minister has stated that the recent airstrikes are not merely retaliatory but serve as a warning. He emphasized that if Iran moves forward with its nuclear weapons program, Israel will not remain silent. In response, Iran has warned that if attacks continue, the conflict could escalate into a full-scale war.
The United Nations and global powers have expressed deep concern over the escalating tensions and have appealed to both nations to exercise restraint. However, given the volatile situation, the conflict could intensify further at any moment.
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