Explosion at Qatar gas terminal injures 54, leaves 18 missing

An explosion ripped through Qatar’s main natural gas export terminal on Sunday night as workers were attempting to restart operations following an Iranian strike during the recent conflict. The blast triggered a fire that left at least 54 people injured, while 18 others remained missing hours later.

The incident at the Ras Laffan industrial area threatens to further disrupt global energy markets, given Qatar’s position as one of the world’s leading exporters of natural gas.

Qatar had earlier halted production after Iran’s control over the Strait of Hormuz disrupted shipping routes, preventing the country from exporting supplies to international customers.

As negotiations over a permanent end to the conflict continued and Iran appeared to ease its hold on the strategic waterway, Qatar moved to resume operations at its export facilities.

According to state-run QatarEnergy, the explosion and subsequent fire broke out at the Barzan gas supply facility during the restart process on Sunday night.

The full extent of the damage remains unclear. While authorities initially reported only a small number of injuries, Qatar’s Interior Ministry later revised the toll significantly, saying at least 54 people had been hurt and 18 others were still unaccounted for.