The latest attacks follow days of Iranian strikes on regional energy infrastructure that has roiled global markets. Attacks on refineries and gasfields in the Middle East have compounded fears the escalating war in Iran and the wider region may lead to a prolonged shock to global oil and gas prices, even if shipping routes are unblocked. European gas prices jumped by 35 per cent on Thursday as Iran and Israel traded strikes on sites involved in the production and supply of oil and gas. Energy prices have since steadied after Israeli prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu said on Thursday night that the “war will end sooner than people think”. Taoiseach Micheál Martin arrives ahead of rountable during the EU Summit at the EU headquarters in Brussels, on March 19th.

Source: The Irish Times March 20, 2026 21:38 UTC