Qatar halts LNG shipments amid Middle East strikes

QatarEnergy announced that it has declared force majeure on shipments of liquefied natural gas (LNG) following attacks on its production facilities amid the ongoing US-Israeli military operations against Iran.

In a statement, the state-owned company said that production of LNG and associated products had been halted since March 2 due to strikes on facilities in Ras Laffan Industrial City, one of Qatar’s key energy hubs, Reuters reports.

Qatar supplies roughly 20% of the world’s LNG exports, all of which pass through the Strait of Hormuz—a vital shipping lane that has seen traffic nearly come to a standstill amid regional hostilities. In 2025, QatarEnergy shipped 80.97 million metric tons of LNG.

The escalation comes as Iran has targeted Gulf Arab countries hosting US military facilities.

Force majeure is a contractual clause that releases parties from liability if they are unable to fulfill supply obligations due to events beyond their control.

By Vafa Guliyeva