Israeli expert: IDF strike on Iranian gas field is ‘dangerous escalation,’ likely to impact markets

Israel’s strike on facilities in Iran’s South Pars gas field signals a “dangerous escalation” in the US-Israeli campaign against Tehran, with potential consequences for regional energy infrastructure and global markets, Yoel Guzansky, a Gulf expert at Tel Aviv’s Institute for National Security Studies, tells The Times of Israel.

“This [strike] could have strategic significance — even [marking] a turning point in the war — not because of the importance of this specific facility for Iran, significant as it may be, but because this is the first time gas facilities in Iran have been meaningfully struck,” Guzansky says.

“Iran is capable of, and may now choose to, target gas and oil facilities in the Gulf states. This could escalate the war to a new level, severely impacting international markets and the ability of Gulf states to export oil and gas,” he adds.

Iran’s state television has already published a threat following the strike, saying that Tehran will be attacking oil and gas infrastructure in Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

“Such a development could, in turn, trigger a further response from the United States and Israel, potentially including strikes on even more significant Iranian oil infrastructure — chief among them Kharg Island. Therefore, this could mark a very dangerous escalation [in] the war,” Guzansky says.

US President Donald Trump has threatened further attacks on Kharg Island amid efforts to open the Strait of Hormuz, a key artery for oil.