Iran’s armed forces warned on Thursday (March 19) that any further attacks on Iran’s energy infrastructure would trigger “far stronger retaliation,” according to a televised statement by a military spokesperson.

Khatam al-Anbia base spokesperson, Ebrahim Zolfaghari, said Iranian forces had already carried out retaliatory strikes, setting fire to oil facilities described as U.S. interests in the region, and stressed that Iran’s response was ongoing.

He added that Iranian missile and drone attacks had targeted several U.S. military bases in the Gulf.

European gas prices surged 25% and oil gained 10% on Thursday after Iran attacked energy infrastructure in the Middle East in retaliation against Israeli attacks on it gas facilities, marking the biggest escalation of the nearly three-week war.

The Iranian aerial attacks caused extensive damage to the world's largest gas plant in Qatar, targeted a refinery in Saudi Arabia, forced the United Arab Emirates to shut gas facilities and started fires at two Kuwaiti refineries.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

STATEMENT FROM IRANIAN ARMED FORCES KHATAM-AL ANBIA BASE SPOKESPERSON, EBRAHIM ZOLFAGHARI

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT

SHOWS: UNKNOWN LOCATION (RELEASED MARCH 19, 2026) (POOL VIA WANA - No use BBC Persian. No use VOA Persian. No use Manoto. No use Iran International, No use Radio Farda)

1. (SOUNDBITE) (Farsi) IRANIAN ARMED FORCES KHATAM-AL ANBIA BASE SPOKESPERSON, EBRAHIM ZOLFAGHARI, SAYING:

"Honourable people of Iran, your brave children in the armed forces, immediately after the enemy's malice, started aggressive action. After a heavy retaliatory operation aimed at inflicting damage comparable to the initial impact, a series of oil facilities—counted as American interests in the region—were set on fire. Again, we warn the enemy, you made a big mistake in attacking energy infrastructure in the Islamic Republic of Iran, and our response is ongoing and not over yet. If it's repeated again, the next attacks on the energy infrastructure of you and your allies won't stop until total destruction. And our response will be much harder than tonight's attacks."

2. WHITE FLASH

3. (SOUNDBITE) (Farsi) IRANIAN ARMED FORCES KHATAM-AL ANBIA BASE SPOKESPERSON, EBRAHIM ZOLFAGHARI, SAYING:

"Navy forces of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in resuming "Operation True Promise Four” and in its 63rd wave, destroyed key targets in Al Minhad and Al Dhafra based, Al Udeid, a helicopter base of American terrorists, and Mina Salman base, the site for (Navy’s) 5th fleet of American terrorists. In these mixed missile-drone operations, the building where commanders are stationed, fuel depots and silos of equipment of Al Minhad base were effectively impacted. Preliminary warning radars, and the central ramp of Al Udeid were attacked by ballistic missiles. Fuel depots and preliminary warning radars, air bases of American terrorists at Al Dhafra, and the site of 5th fleet of American terrorists at Mina Salman, were vehemently attacked by drones and ballistic and cruise missiles."