Iran crossed into unprecedented territory Wednesday, issuing evacuation orders for workers and residents near energy facilities in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar after Israeli forces struck the South Pars gasfield. The Revolutionary Guards said the named facilities had become “direct and legitimate targets.” The declaration sent oil prices surging and sent shockwaves through global energy markets.

South Pars is among the most strategically important energy assets in the world, holding the largest known natural gas reserves on the planet. Iran shares the field with Qatar, making the Israeli strike a blow not just to Tehran but to the broader regional energy ecosystem. The attack was reported to have been authorized by Washington, representing a calculated decision to expand the scope of the conflict.

Iran’s state broadcaster identified Saudi Arabia’s Samref refinery and Jubail complex, the UAE’s al-Hosn gasfield, and Qatar’s Mesaieed and Ras Laffan facilities as imminent targets. The governor of Asaluyeh in southern Iran condemned the strikes as “political suicide” and said the region had entered a new and more dangerous phase of conflict. His remarks mirrored the alarm felt in capitals across the Gulf and beyond.

Brent crude oil climbed nearly 5% to $108.60 a barrel, while European gas benchmarks surged more than 7.5%. These price moves added fresh pain to an already disrupted market. Gulf oil exports had already fallen 60% from pre-war levels, choked off by infrastructure damage and Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. A wave of attacks on Gulf energy facilities threatened to turn a severe supply shortage into a catastrophic one.

Qatar’s government spokesperson issued a formal warning against targeting energy infrastructure, calling it a threat to global energy security. As Iran’s clock on its threatened strikes ticked down, energy traders, diplomats, and defense officials around the world were watching the Gulf with growing anxiety. The events of the coming hours were poised to determine whether the global energy system could absorb yet another devastating blow.