US officials claim Israel was responsible for the attack on Iran's natural gas production site, not the US. Meanwhile, the Iranian military announced it will retaliate strongly and warned civilians at certain oil plants to evacuate.
On 18 Mar 2026 GMT+7, a senior US official denied that the US carried out the attack on Iran's natural gas site as Tehran had alleged, stating instead that the operation was conducted by Israel.
Previously, the Tehran government accused the US and Israel of attacking certain Iranian oil and natural gas production sites, including the South Pars gas field, the world's largest, marking the first attack on Iran's energy facilities since the war erupted on 28 Feb.
An Israeli source told CNN on Wednesday morning that Israel attacked a plant in Asaluyeh city in southwestern Iran. Another Israeli official said that the attack on Iran's South Pars field was coordinated with the United States.
Subsequently, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of Iran issued a new warning that Iran's enemies should "prepare for a severe response" from the military.
In its latest statement, the IRGC said that criminal enemies have violated parts of Iran's energy and fuel infrastructure, reiterating previous threats to retaliate if Iran’s energy, natural gas, or economic facilities are targeted.
The statement further declared that Iran considers itself "justified" in targeting the fuel, energy, and gas infrastructure of the "origin countries" and will respond harshly "at the earliest opportunity."
The IRGC also called for the evacuation of residents and workers from certain oil facilities in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.