Iran Threatens Israeli Tamar and Leviathan Gas Platforms Amid Rising Regional Tensions

The Iranian news agency Fars, affiliated with the Iranian regime, has published a list of energy infrastructure targets across the Middle East, explicitly including Israel's Tamar and Leviathan gas platforms. This is not a new threat; Iran has previously identified Israeli gas facilities as targets. In response, Israel has shut down parts of these platforms to protect them, causing an estimated economic loss of about 1.7 billion shekels.

Recent weeks have seen increased threats against Israel's energy infrastructure, highlighted in a Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs report. The Iranian newspaper Kayhan named the Leviathan, Tamar, and Karish gas fields, along with oil import terminals in Ashkelon, Haifa, and Ashdod, as Israeli vulnerabilities. These threats align with Iran's "eye for an eye" policy declared by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, especially following Israeli strikes on Iranian gas facilities in Asaluyeh and South Pars.

Energy infrastructure has become a central target amid escalating tensions. The Israeli Defense Forces have protective measures, but in a broader conflict involving Iran, Israel might again need to shut down some platforms, as done during previous confrontations. When the current war began on February 28, the Leviathan and Karish platforms were shut down, while Tamar, which supplies most of Israel's domestic gas, remained operational. Leviathan resumed activity on April 2 after 32 days, following a reduced threat level and diplomatic pressure from Egypt and Jordan via the United States, as these countries heavily depend on its gas supply. Karish followed on April 9.

The shutdowns caused significant economic damage due to reliance on more expensive energy sources like coal and diesel. According to Chen Herzog, chief economist at BDO advising the Natural Gas Association, Leviathan's month-long shutdown cost about 1 billion shekels, and Karish's 40-day shutdown cost approximately 660 million shekels, totaling around 1.7 billion shekels in losses. Should a wider conflict erupt between Iran and its allies against the US, Israel, and Gulf states, Israel may again have to suspend gas platform operations at a similar economic cost. Currently, there are no indications from gas companies about any planned shutdowns.