Middle East conflict threatens global energy catastrophe.

Middle East conflict threatens global energy catastrophe. Qatar's Ras Laffan LNG plant, shut after Iranian drone attacks and Israeli strikes, has suffered extensive damage requiring up to five years for repairs. The facility accounts for seventeen percent of Qatar's liquefied natural gas exports, representing 12.8 million tons of annual output capacity. Energy analysts warn the world faces a potential doomsday gas crisis scenario as the conflict disrupts critical supply chains. With the Strait of Hormuz effectively closed, gasoline and jet fuel prices are surging while cooking gas shortages trigger severe shortages in emerging markets. The crisis threatens industrial demand across vital growth economies and could prove more damaging than Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.