QatarEnergy is pausing plans to increase liquefied natural gas production at the Ras Laffan complex following Iran's strike on a QatarEnergy LNG carrier earlier in the week and the subsequent escalation between Iran and the United States, Bloomberg reported on July 9.

On July 7, Iran struck at least three vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, including a Qatari LNG carrier, which triggered U.S. retaliation the next day. Qatar had initially begun to ramp up LNG production after the United States and Iran signed their June 17 memorandum of understanding on ending the regional war. In March, QatarEnergy said Ras Laffan suffered "extensive damage" from Iranian missile strikes that will take three to five years to repair.