World

Beyoncé is bringing her fans of color to country music. Will they be welcomed in?

Published

2 years ago

April 15, 2024

Beyoncé is bringing her fans of color to country music. Will they be welcomed in?

NEW YORK (AP) — Dusty, worn boots. Horses lapping up water. Sweat dripping from the foreheads of every shade of Black skin as country classics blare through giant speakers. These moments are frequently recreated during Tayhlor Coleman’s family gatherings at their central Texas ranch. For her, Beyoncé’s country album, “Act II: Cowboy Carter,” was the granting of an unlikely wish.

“There is something to be said about the biggest artist in the world coming home to the genre that… we all kind of love but never really felt welcome into — it’s really hard to put that to words,” said the 35-year-old native of Houston’s Third Ward, the same area Beyoncé lived in as a child. Loving artists like Miranda Lambert and Shania Twain, Coleman hoped this moment would come. “I was praying then that one day she would make a country album…Beyoncé is more country than a lot of people making country music today.”

Beyoncé’s latest project is not only No. 1 on the Billboard 200 for the second consecutive week, but she became the first Black woman to top Billboard’s country album chart.

“There’s nothing that that girl can’t do….that’s inspiring to me,” said country superstar Lainey Wilson, who took home the country album Grammy in February. “I’m excited to see the fans that didn’t know they liked country music find out that maybe they like it a little bit.”

Beyoncé’s steamrolling into country music – and her motivation behind it — has reignited discussions about the genre’s origins and its diversity. But with increased interest from Beyoncé’s fans at a fever pitch, is Nashville prepared and willing to welcome them in? And will these new listeners of color and others curious about the hoopla stay or will their interest in the genre wane?

POWER PLAY

“I will be honest with you: I think that it’s a Beyoncé thing. I don’t know that it’s a country music happening because that would mean the industry would have to do something…I think it’s one of those cultural moments for Black people, specifically Black women,” said country artist Rissi Palmer, host of the Apple Music radio show Color Me Country which has created a centralized community where fans of color can enjoy the genre.

“It’s really funny to me to see a lot of country radio programmers trying to take credit for what just happened with Beyoncé. That wasn’t country radio…that was her power, her money and…the acknowledgment of her brand. The fandom did that,” Palmer said.

From AP’s archives: Beyoncé spoke with The Associated Press in a 2003 interview about her faith. The superstar made history this week by becoming the first Black woman to top the Billboard country albums chart.

Tanner Davenport, co-director of Black Opry — and proud BeyHive member — worries the massive achievements of “Cowboy Carter” could have unintended consequences, such as country music executives not feeling an urgency to platform existing and future Black artists. Black Opry was founded by Holly G in April 2021, as she examined her relationship with the genre during the social justice movement sparked by the murder of George Floyd. The organization aims to amplify Black voices in country, Americana, blues and folk music.

“Once ‘Act II’ has ran its course and gone away, there are going to be programmers… looking back at this moment and saying, ’We’ve already done this. We’ve given a Black woman a No. 1,” said Davenport. “If they can really start to dial into the audience a bit more, I think they can start to see progress within this and capitalize on this moment because I think there’s a huge undermining of the Black dollar and how far it can go.”

NOT AN ANOMALY

Reyna Roberts’ parents filled their house with music. Roberts, a rising country artist featured on “Cowboy Carter” with vocal credits on “Blackbiird” and “Tyrant,” said some questioned her musical aspirations.

“People are always so surprised. But I’m like my parents played country, they played trap, they played rock, they played classical, they played blues…Anything that I’m creating is all truly authentic,” said Roberts, who hit a career breakthrough in 2020 after shout-outs from superstar Carrie Underwood and Mickey Guyton, who in 2021 became the first Black woman to co-host the Academy of Country Music Awards. ( Charley Pride, who died in 2020, was the first Black co-host of the CMA Awards in 1975.)

Roberts is part of a new generation of artists, like Shaboozey, Tanner Adell and Willie Jones, who are fusing country with other genres like hip-hop.

While Wilson, one of the biggest artists in the genre, hopes some Queen Bey fans will explore country, a significant percentage of Black listeners already exists. A 2021 Country Music Association self-commissioned study, “Country Music’s Multicultural Opportunity,” examining potential audience expansion opportunities, revealed that 26% of Black respondents said they listen weekly.

“I don’t think they have gotten to the point where they feel as safe to be at country shows… the broad listenership in country music is going to be reflected in the streaming world,” said Davenport. He says the Black Opry is strategizing ways to capitalize on Beyoncé’s momentum so curious fans can find spaces “where they can exist and not feel threatened.”

FEELING UNWELCOME

Safety and feeling comfortable in a country music environment is often on the minds of Black country musicgoers. Davenport was in the audience during Beyoncé’s 2016 CMA performance with The Chicks which sparked a much-documented racist online backlash, and is widely believed to be the genesis for “Cowboy Carter” with the superstar expressing in an Instagram post, “I did not feel welcomed.”

During the performance, Davenport says a woman near him yelled, “’They need to get that Black b—- off stage,” adding, “I started to realize, OK, this is truly a space in which I don’t feel comfortable in, and I don’t feel safe in.”

That same CMA multicultural study found that 20% of concert attendees of color experienced racial profiling or harassment. The polling also included non-country music listeners, and up to 31% of that segment noted that they don’t listen because they “wouldn’t be safe/comfortable at live events.”

Monica Wisdom understands.

In the early ‘90s, the St. Louis native attended a concert by one of her favorite artists, Reba McEntire. Wisdom, 55, says McEntire’s performance was on fire, but the atmosphere and crowd were ice cold.

“They were very unwelcoming…You saw the eye rolls and you heard the comments and the whispers, like, ’What are you doing here?’” recalled Wisdom, the founder of Black Women Amplified, a women’s empowerment group. “I said if this is what country music is, I don’t want any parts of it. So, I stopped listening to it.”

And Wisdom hasn’t attended a country music concert since.

While popular artists like Wilson, the legendary Dolly Parton, Maren Morris, Jason Isbell and more have publicly voiced the need for inclusion, their allyship can sometimes be overshadowed. In 2021, Morgan Wallen, then already a huge star, was caught on camera using the N-word as his “Dangerous: The Double Album” record sat at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 for three consecutive weeks. Although there were repercussions, many fans rallied around him boosting his popularity. Jason Aldean’s “Try That in a Small Town” also experienced a surge last year as the music video swirled in controversy.

“That’s the problem that the industry has in trying to retain and foster a real Black country audience,” said Palmer, whose first meetings with major labels in the early 2000s were sight-unseen due to her team’s concerns that her race might present an obstacle. In 2007, Palmer became the first Black woman in 20 years to reach Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart with “Country Girl.” She remembers performing at shows with Confederate flags in the crowd but singing anyway as a form of resistance. Concerns from music labels included her hairstyle and even the ethnicity of her love interests in music videos.

Palmer says the perception of racism is a “hard connotation to overcome, and you have to do a lot of work. You have to do a lot of answering for that and possibly asking for forgiveness…I don’t know that the industry is prepared to do that.”

IDENTITY

“I do think that there is this sense that country music is white music,” said Coleman, who didn’t always express her love for country music as a teen. “It was not cool to be country…for the longest time, especially growing up, I was trying to fit in with everybody else. ” It’s a sentiment many Black fans have echoed, including Palmer.

The genre might not seem relatable to fans of color because they don’t see themselves. In the CMA multicultural study, respondents noted feeling that country music isn’t interested in attracting them and not seeing enough Black, Latino or Asian artists.

“It’s hard to be in a space if you don’t see a representation of yourself,” said the 26-year-old Roberts, whose song “Louisiana” was inspired by Beyoncé’s “Daddy Lessons.” “My mindset was even though I don’t see representation, I will make sure that there’s representation.”

In a frequently cited 2021 study published by Jada Watson, a University of Ottawa musicologist, data revealed artists of color received just 1.5% of country radio airplay between 2002-2020. During that period, with nearly 15,000 songs played within the format, only three of the 13 Black artists were women. No songs by Black women reached the top 20 on country radio charts.

“There’s so much unloving in the world of Black people, especially Black women, that you have to find the spots where you’re loved,” said Wisdom, who grew up loving Parton and Kenny Rogers and watching McEntire’s “Reba” TV sitcom. “I didn’t find that in country music.”

THE BEYONCÉ BOOST

Fans and experts seem to agree that Beyoncé has created an education on Black country trailblazers like Linda Martell and Rhiannon Giddens, and is providing an immeasurable amount of attention toward existing artists.

“It’s really great for them…The rising tide lifts all boats,” said iconic singer Wynonna Judd, who mentors several established and rising Black female singers. “What I think of professionally is how this has to be a blessing to so many women in the business that are… wanting to be heard.”

Before “Cowboy Carter” officially announced featured musicians, searches, streams and social media impressions rose exponentially for many current Black country artists such as Roberts, Guyton, Adell, Tiera Kennedy, Brittney Spencer, Shaboozey and others due to media stories and curiosity. Since the album has dropped, the numbers have risen even more.

“The fact that Beyoncé has been able to create this conversation for more people to be included in this space and talked about, it’s been really cool,” said Shaboozey, who’s featured on “Spaghettii” and “Sweet Honey Buckin.’” “To see her just kind of coming in here has been honestly beneficial to me and plenty of other artists.”

But Davenport, who noted the Black Opry will honor pioneering songwriter Alice Randall for the organization’s anniversary this month, says while country is more diverse, progress has been too incremental, and Nashville hasn’t made good on promises made following the social justice uprising.

“I don’t think things are going to change overnight… at this point now, it feels like a repeat of what happened in 2021 after George Floyd was murdered,” said Davenport, referring to the current backlash against diversity and inclusion efforts. “There’s been no progress. I mean, you can see it on the charts. You can see it on the (festival) lineups.” While fans say country music has a lot to fix, they realize they have to do their part.

“Fans, though, have to take a responsibility and support the artists,” said Wisdom, whose love for country music was rekindled after watching the Peabody-award winning series “High on the Hog: How African American Cuisine Transformed America,” which featured a Black cowboys episode. “We have to go to these shows, we have to buy their music.”

DISAPPEARING ACT / RECLAMATION

The scope of Beyoncé’s country music impact might not be realized for years, but there’s an optimism that the curiosity about Black country artists will continue.

“I hope that when Beyoncé moves on to ‘Act III’ that some of the people are going to stay… There are women that we stand on the shoulders of, and I want to make sure that we acknowledge all of them,” said Palmer, whose Color Me Country Artist Grant fund provides micro grants to artists of color pursuing careers in country, Americana and roots music. “I’m glad everyone is excited about Beyoncé. I’m glad that she’s having the milestones that she’s having — all of that. Also, just remember there were people that were here before.”

Despite Beyoncé never explicitly saying so, many fans believe “Cowboy Carter” — as well as her previous album, the dance-themed “Renaissance” — are meant to reclaim genres whose foundations are rooted in Black culture. But with the passage of time, along with systemic inequalities, is reclamation even possible?

“Hope springs eternal, right? I mean, that’s what my entire career at this point is focused on, making sure that the whole story is told,” said Palmer. “This is a big moment of visibility for Black artists in country music that have been here — the past, the present and the future. But I think Nashville has got a lot of self-introspection and a lot of self-examination to do.” ___

Associated Press journalist Leslie Ambriz in Los Angeles contributed reporting.

Follow Associated Press journalist Gary Gerard Hamilton at @GaryGHamilton on all his social media platforms.

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World

The sea is higher than we thought and millions more are at risk, study finds

Published

3 hours ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

The sea is higher than we thought and millions more are at risk, study finds

Climate change’s rising seas may threaten tens of millions more people than scientists and government planners originally thought because of mistaken research assumptions on how high coastal waters already are, a new study said.

Researchers studied hundreds of scientific studies and hazard assessments, calculating that about 90% of them underestimated baseline coastal water heights by an average of 1 foot (30 centimeters), according to Wednesday’s study in the journal Nature. It’s a far more frequent problem in the Global South, the Pacific and Southeast Asia, and less so in Europe and along Atlantic coasts.

The cause is a mismatch between the way sea and land altitudes are measured, said study co-author Philip Minderhoud, a hydrogeology professor at Wageningen University & Research in the Netherlands. And he attributed that to a “methodological blind spot” between the different ways those two things are measured.

Each way measures their own areas properly, he said. But where sea meets land, there’s a lot of factors that often don’t get accounted for when satellites and land-based models are used. Studies that calculate sea level rise impact usually “do not look at the actual measured sea level so they used this zero-meter” figure as a starting point, said lead author Katharina Seeger of the University of Padua in Italy. In some places in the Indo-Pacific, it’s close to 3 feet (1 meter), Minderhoud said.

Dilrukshan Kumara looks at the ocean as he stands by the remains of his family’s home in Iranawila, Sri Lanka, June 15, 2023. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena, File)

One simple way to understand that is that many studies assume sea levels without waves or currents, when the reality at the water’s edge is of oceans constantly roiled by wind, tides, currents, changing temperatures and things like El Niño, said Minderhoud and Seeger.

Adjusting to a more accurate coastal height baseline means that if seas rise by a little more than 3 feet (1 meter) — as some studies suggest will happen by the end of the century — waters could inundate up to 37% more land and threaten 77 million to 132 million more people, the study said.

That would trigger problems in planning and paying for the impacts of a warming world.

People at risk

“You have a lot of people here for whom the risk of extreme flooding is much higher than people thought,’’ said Anders Levermann, a climate scientist at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impacts Research in Germany, who wasn’t part of the study. And Southeast Asia, where the study finds the biggest discrepancy, has the most people already threatened by sea level rise, he said.

Minderhoud pointed to island nations in that region as an area where the reality of discrepancy hits home.

Children play on an uprooted tree along a beach in Mele, Vanuatu, July 19, 2025, that was once lined with vegetation, now largely lost to storms, erosion and other environmental pressures. (AP Photo/Annika Hammerschlag, File)

For 17-year-old climate activist Vepaiamele Trief, the projections aren’t abstract. On her island home in the South Pacific archipelago of Vanuatu, the shoreline has visibly retreated within her short lifetime, with beaches eroded, coastal trees uprooted and some homes now barely 3 feet (about 1 meter) from the sea at high tide. On her grandmother’s island of Ambae, a coastal road from the airport to her village has been rerouted inland because of encroaching water. Graves have been submerged and entire ways of life feel under threat.

“These studies, they aren’t just words on a paper. They aren’t just numbers. They’re people’s actual livelihoods,” she said. “Put yourself in the shoes of our coastal communities — their lives are going to be completely overturned because of sea level rise and climate change.”

Paying attention to the starting point

This new study is pretty much about what is the truth on the ground.

Calculations that may be correct for the seas overall or for the land aren’t quite right at that key intersection point of water and land, Seeger and Minderhoud said. It’s especially true in the Pacific.

Gravestones sit submerged in water on Pele Island, Vanuatu, a country heavily affected by rising seas July 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Annika Hammerschlag, File)

“To understand how much higher a piece of land is than the water, you need to know the land elevation and the water elevation. And what this paper says the vast majority of studies have done is to just assume that zero in your land elevation dataset is the level of the water. When in fact, it’s not,” said sea level rise expert Ben Strauss, CEO of Climate Central. His 2019 study was one of the few the new paper said got it right.

“It’s just the baseline that you start from that people are getting wrong,” said Strauss, who wasn’t part of the research.

Maybe not so bad, some scientists say

Other outside scientists said that Minderhoud and Seeger may be making too much of the problem.

“I think they’re exaggerating the implications for impact studies a bit — the problem is actually well understood, albeit addressed in a way that could probably be improved,” said Gonéri Le Cozannet, a scientist at the French geological survey. Most local planners know their coastal issues and plan accordingly, Rutgers University sea level expert Robert Kopp said.

That’s true in Vietnam in the high-impact area, Minderhoud said. They have an accurate sense of elevation, he said.

The findings come as a new UNESCO report warns of major gaps in understanding how much carbon the ocean absorbs. That report said that models differ by 10% to 20% in estimating the size of that carbon sink, raising questions about the accuracy of global climate projections that rely on them.

The coastline of Efate Island, Vanuatu is visible on July 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Annika Hammerschlag, File)

Together, the studies suggest governments may be planning for coastal and climate risks with an incomplete picture of how the ocean is changing.

“When the ocean comes closer, it takes away more than just the land we used to enjoy,” said Thompson Natuoivi, a climate advocate for Save the Children Vanuatu.

“Sea level rise is not just changing our coastline, it’s changing our lives. We are not talking about the future — we’re talking about the right now.”

___

The Associated Press receives support from the Walton Family Foundation for coverage of water and environmental policy. The AP is solely responsible for all content. For all of AP’s environmental coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/climate-and-environment

World

Israel hammers Iranian internal security command centers to open door to uprising

Published

4 hours ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

Israel hammers Iranian internal security command centers to open door to uprising

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The Israeli military’s latest wave of airstrikes in Iran dealt a serious blow to the country’s brutal internal security apparatus, opening the door for a potential uprising.

During the strikes, Israel “dropped dozens of munitions on the Basij and internal security command centers that are subject to the Iranian terror regime,” the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement on Wednesday. “The targeted command centers were used by the Iranian regime to maintain control throughout Iran and maintain the regime’s situational assessments.”

Since the start of Operation Epic Fury, the U.S. has hit nearly 2,000 targets as it carries out a sweeping military campaign aimed at dismantling the regime’s security apparatus and neutralizing threats. Adm. Brad Cooper of U.S. Central Command confirmed the number of targets hit in a video message.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Basij militia, Iran’s volunteer paramilitary force, were behind the violent crackdown on protesters in January. The bloody crackdown saw regime actors firing on crowds and conducting mass arrests of Iranian protesters. Some had seen the protests as a sign that regime change in Iran was getting nearer, though it did not occur.

Smoke rises from central Tehran following reported U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran’s capital, on March 3, 2026. (Fatemeh Bahrami/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Israeli and U.S. officials have hinted at the possibility of regime change in Iran as both countries take aim at Tehran’s military and security sites.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a video message announcing the launch of Operation Epic Fury, which Israel calls Operation Rising Lion, that it was time for Iranians “to rid themselves of the yoke of tyranny.” Similarly, President Donald Trump said in a message to the Iranian people on Feb. 28 that “the hour of your freedom is at hand.”

“When we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take. This will be, probably, your only chance for generations,” Trump said.

Plumes of smoke rise following reported explosions in Tehran on March 3, 2026, after Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in joint U.S. and Israeli strikes on Feb. 28, 2026. (Negar/Middle East Images / AFP via Getty Images)

ISRAELI MINISTER OUTLINES IRAN MISSION GOALS, SAYS IRANIAN PEOPLE NOW HAVE CHANCE TO ‘REGAIN THEIR FREEDOM’

“America is backing you with overwhelming strength and devastating force. Now is the time to seize control of your destiny, and to unleash the prosperous and glorious future that is close within your reach. This is the moment for action. Do not let it pass,” the president added.

Ali Vaez, director of the Iran project at the International Crisis Group, told The Wall Street Journal that the path to regime change through foreign airstrikes and popular uprising on the ground has “a bet that rests on no clear historical model.” Vaez also warned that the idea “ignores the resilience of entrenched authoritarian systems like the Islamic Republic.”

The IDF said on Monday that Israel had hit headquarters, bases and regional command centers that belonged to the regime’s internal security apparatus.

“These bodies were responsible for, among other things, suppressing protests against the regime through violent measures and civilian arrests,” the IDF said.

A group of men inspects the ruins of a police station struck amid the U.S.–Israeli military campaign in Tehran, Iran, on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. (Vahid Salemi/AP)

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It is unclear who will lead Iran after Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed on the first day of the operation. Since then, Israel and the U.S. have made it clear that regime leaders chosen to replace him would be targets. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned on Wednesday that anyone chosen to replace Khamenei would be considered “a target for elimination” if they continued to threaten Israel, the U.S. and regional allies.

The killing of key leaders might not be enough to cause an uprising, as the regime has a monopoly on weapons in most of Iran, the WSJ reported, adding that Basij militants are still patrolling the streets.

Fox News Digital’s Morgan Phillips and Efrat Lachter contributed to this report.

Rachel Wolf is a breaking news writer for Fox News Digital and FOX Business.

World

Which oil and gas facilities in the Gulf have been attacked?

Published

5 hours ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

Which oil and gas facilities in the Gulf have been attacked?

Global energy markets remain in a state of high alert after several Gulf states suspended oil and gas production following escalating tensions in the region.

Since Saturday’s attacks by the United States and Israel, Tehran has targeted various sites in Israel and across several Gulf countries.

How much oil and gas does the Middle East have?

Nearly half of the world’s oil reserves and exports come from the Middle East, which contains five of the seven largest oil reserves in the world.

Once refined, crude oil is used to make various products, including petrol, diesel, jet fuel and a wide range of household items such as cleaning products, plastics and even lotions.

After Venezuela, which has 303 billion barrels, Saudi Arabia holds the world’s second-largest proven crude oil reserves, estimated at 267 billion barrels.

The Middle East’s largest oil reserves:

Saudi Arabia: 267 billion barrels
Iran: 209 billion barrels
Iraq: 145 billion barrels
UAE: 113 billion barrels
Kuwait: 102 billion barrels

Saudi Arabia is also the world’s top oil exporter with an estimated $187bn of crude in 2024, according to data from the Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC).

The Middle East’s top oil exporters:

Saudi Arabia: $187bn
UAE: $114bn
Iraq: $98bn
Iran: $47bn – largely sold at a discount due to US sanctions
Kuwait: 29bn

Other Middle Eastern countries with sizeable oil exports include: Oman ($28.9bn), Kuwait ($28.8bn) and Qatar ($21bn).

(Al Jazeera)

In addition to crude oil, the Middle East is a global powerhouse for natural gas, accounting for nearly 18 percent of global production and approximately 40 percent of the world’s proven reserves.

Natural gas is primarily used for electricity generation, industrial heating, and in chemicals and fertilisers.

The heart of Middle Eastern gas is a single, massive underwater reservoir called the South Pars/North Dome field. It is the largest gasfield in the world, and it is shared directly between Qatar and Iran.

Gas is transported either through pipelines or by tankers. When using pipelines, the gas is pressurised and moved through steel networks. When pipelines are not feasible, such as across oceans, Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) is used.

To create LNG, the gas is cooled to approximately -162C (-260F), shrinking its volume and allowing it to be safely loaded onto specialised tanker ships for global transport.

To transport oil and gas, tankers from various Gulf states must navigate the narrow waterway known as the Strait of Hormuz. Approximately one-fifth of global oil and gas passes through this strait, primarily heading to major markets in Asia, including China, Japan, South Korea and India, as well as to Europe.

INTERACTIVE - Strait of Hormuz - FEB24, 2026-1772104775 — (Al Jazeera)

Which energy facilities have been attacked?

Here are the facilities which have recorded damage as of Wednesday:

Saudi Arabia – Ras Tanura oil refinery

On Monday, one of the world’s largest oil refining complexes, the Ras Tanura oil refinery owned by Saudi Aramco, was forced to halt operations after debris from intercepted Iranian drones caused a small fire.

This handout satellite image courtesy of Vantor taken and released on March 2, 2026, shows damage at the Saudi Aramco's Ras Tanura refinery. — This handout satellite image, courtesy of Vantor, released on March 2, 2026, shows damage at Saudi Aramco’s Ras Tanura refinery [AFP]

Saudi Aramco is one of the world’s largest companies, with a market capitalisation exceeding $1.7 trillion and revenue of $480bn. Headquartered in Dhahran, in eastern Saudi Arabia, Aramco controls 12 percent of global oil production, with a capacity of more than 12 million barrels per day (bpd).

On Wednesday, Saudi defence officials reported a second drone attempt on the facility but this was successfully intercepted with no damage or disruption to operations reported.

Qatar – Ras Laffan Industrial City LNG facilities

On Monday, Qatar’s Ministry of Defence reported that Iranian drones had targeted an energy facility in Ras Laffan belonging to QatarEnergy, the world’s largest LNG producer.

While no casualties were reported, QatarEnergy suspended the production of LNG and other products at the impacted sites.

RAS LAFFAN INDUSTRIAL CITY, QATAR - MARCH 3: A picture of Qatar Energy's operating facilities on March 3, 2026 in Ras Laffan Industrial City, Qatar. Qatar Energy announced a complete halt to liquefied natural gas (LNG) production at its Ras Laffan and Mesaieed facilities on March 2, 2026, after Iranian attacks targeted energy facilities. (Photo by Getty Images) — QatarEnergy’s operating facilities on March 3, 2026, in Ras Laffan Industrial City, Qatar [Getty Images]

QatarEnergy’s 81 million metric tonnes of LNG exports are mostly bound for Asian markets, including China, Japan, India, South Korea, Pakistan and other countries in the region. The halt in production hiked global gas prices to a three-year high this week.

Qatar – Mesaieed Industrial City

Qatar’s Defence Ministry said the country was attacked by a second drone launched from Iran on Monday, targeting a water tank belonging to a power plant in Mesaieed, without reporting any casualties.

On Tuesday, QatarEnergy also stopped production of some downstream products like urea, polymers, methanol, aluminium and others.

UAE – Fujairah and Mussafah oil terminals

On Monday, a fire broke out at Mussafah Fuel Terminal in southwest Abu Dhabi after it was struck by a drone.

On Tuesday, falling debris from a drone interception caused a fire at the Fujairah Oil Terminal along the eastern coast of the United Arab Emirates. No injuries were reported.

Large fire and plume of smoke is visible after, according to the authorities, debris of an Iranian intercepted drone hit the Fujairah oil facility, in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, Tuesday, March 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri) — A large fire and plume of smoke are visible after debris from an intercepted Iranian drone hit the Fujairah oil facility, in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, according to authorities [Altaf Qadri/AP Photos]

Oman – ports of Duqm and Salalah

On Tuesday, multiple Iranian drones struck fuel tanks and a tanker at the port of Duqm, with at least one direct hit on a fuel storage tank, causing an explosion.

On the same day, a drone strike was recorded at the Port of Salalah, which handles fuel and industrial minerals.

Athe Nova – oil tanker

On Monday, the Athe Nova, a Honduran-flagged tanker positioned off the coast of Khor Fakkan, UAE, was struck by Iranian drones as it was transiting the Strait of Hormuz, setting it ablaze. Despite the fire, the vessel managed to exit the chokepoint into the Gulf of Oman, and no casualties were reported.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed responsibility for the strike, identifying the Athe Nova as an “ally of the United States”.

On the same day as the attack, Iran declared the Strait of Hormuz closed, warning that any ship attempting to pass would be “set ablaze”.

Since then, several other tankers have been hit.

INTERACTIVE_IRAN_GCC_OIL AND GAS SUPPLY-ATHE_NOVA_MARCH4_2026 — (Al Jazeera)

Other regional energy disruptions

Although not directly targeted, the following energy sites suspended operations in response to Iranian retaliatory attacks:

Israeli offshore gasfields – Major gas production fields such as Leviathan and Tamar were shut down as a precaution following regional drone and missile launches linked to Iran.

Oil fields in semiautonomous Iraqi Kurdistan – Producers including DNO, Gulf Keystone and Dana Gas halted output as a safety measure amid the escalation.

Rumaila oilfield – Operations at Iraq’s largest oilfield – operated by BP – in southern Iraq were halted on Tuesday as a security precaution due to its proximity to the escalation zone.