Iranian missile and drone strikes have shut Qatar’s liquefied natural gas hub at Ras Laffan, halting exports that fund over 60% of the peninsula’s revenue. With the Strait of Hormuz blocked, virtually no LNG has left Qatar for more than two months, choking a sovereign‑wealth fund that holds stakes in Heathrow and the Empire State Building.

The attacks damaged critical equipment, cutting QatarEnergy’s output by 17 percent and leaving the plant unable to meet contracts, and could take years to fully recover. Analysts estimate billions in lost sales and daily charter fees, while the International Monetary Fund projects an 8.6% GDP contraction this year. Meanwhile, travel advisories have slashed visitor numbers, wiping out roughly $600 million a day in tourism revenue.

Qatar’s decades‑long gamble on gas‑driven growth also funded an ambitious diversification push—luxury hotels, a metro system and high‑profile sports events. With exports stalled and the perception of instability spreading, expatriate labor and foreign capital are fleeing, threatening the post‑hydrocarbon strategy. The nation now faces a fiscal squeeze that cannot be offset by tourism or finance alone, at least in the near term.