Liquefied natural gas production facility in Ras Laffan, Qatar [Reuters Yonhap News]

QatarEnergy, the state-owned energy company of Qatar, has declared "Force Majeure" on long-term liquefied natural gas (LNG) supply contracts with major importing countries, including South Korea, citing damage to production facilities due to missile attacks.

According to the RIA Novosti news agency on the 24th (local time), QatarEnergy announced in a statement on the same day that it would temporarily suspend the fulfillment of long-term LNG supply contracts with South Korea, Italy, Belgium, and China.

Production facilities within the Ras Laffan Industrial City, Qatar's key LNG production hub, sustained severe damage from missile attacks by Iran on the 18th and 19th.

Earlier, Saad Al-Kaabi, CEO of QatarEnergy, stated in an interview with Reuters on the 19th that 17% of the company's LNG export capacity was damaged by the attack and that it would take 3 to 5 years to recover.