Iran warns of intensified retaliation if U.S., Israel strike energy sites again

TEHRAN, March 19 (Xinhua) -- Iran warned Thursday it would carry out more severe retaliatory strikes if the United States and Israel attack its energy facilities again.

Ebrahim Zolfaghari, spokesman for Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, said in a statement published by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' Sepah News that Tehran had not sought to expand the conflict to oil infrastructure or harm the economies of friendly neighboring states.

"Following the enemies' aggression against Iranian energy infrastructure, we have practically entered a new stage of war," he said.

Zolfaghari said Iran's response was ongoing and warned that further attacks would be met with more intense strikes targeting energy infrastructure linked to the United States, Israel and their allies.

On Wednesday, Israel struck Iran's South Pars offshore natural gas field in the Gulf, which it shares with Qatar. Qatar later reported fires and extensive damage at liquefied natural gas facilities following Iranian strikes.

The escalation comes amid heightened tensions after joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran began Feb. 28, prompting retaliatory attacks by Iran and its regional allies against Israeli and U.S. interests across the Middle East.