QatarEnergy has said it has stopped liquefied natural gas production after Iranian strikes hit key energy facilities.

The state‑owned company announced on Monday that drone attacks on its Ras Laffan and Mesaieed Industrial City plants forced it to halt output of LNG and related products.

Qatar’s Defense Ministry reported that two drones launched from Iran struck targets in the country.

QatarEnergy said the attacks hit its Ras Laffan and Mesaieed Industrial City facilities.

The Defense Ministry confirmed there were no casualties.

In response, shares of U.S. LNG exporters Cheniere and Venture Global surged in premarket trading, rising nearly 7 per cent and over 16 per cent, respectively.

Iran has fired missiles at U.S. allies across the Gulf in retaliation for extensive U.S. and Israeli strikes that killed the Islamic Republic’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The attacks on Qatar suggest Tehran is broadening its response to target regional energy infrastructure.

LNG is natural gas cooled into a liquid form for transport by tanker. It is mainly used to generate electricity worldwide.