What Would Happen if Hezbollah Targets Israeli Gas Platforms?

On July 14, 2006, during the notable war between the Lebanese Hezbollah and the occupying state of Israel, Hezbollah shocked Israel and the world by targeting the Israeli military frigate “INS Hanit,” a Sa’ar 5-class corvette, with a Chinese-made C-802 anti-ship missile. This missile, supplied to Iran by China, has a range of 120 kilometers and carries a 165-kilogram warhead.

The attack resulted in the death of four Israeli officers, and the damaged frigate had to be towed back to Ashdod port. This operation marked a significant psychological victory for Hezbollah, as the frigate was one of three Sa’ar 5-class ships built by the American company Northrop Grumman for the Israeli navy, each costing over $250 million. The incident highlighted Hezbollah’s unprecedented military capabilities, which expedited the war’s end.

Thirteen years later, in August 2019, Hezbollah released a video of the attack, while Israeli media warned of Hezbollah’s increased military capabilities over the years. The group, which once targeted a military frigate, is now capable of threatening even more critical assets: Israel’s gas platforms in the Mediterranean.

What Do We Know About Israeli Gas Fields and Platforms in the Mediterranean?

The gas platforms in the Mediterranean are vital to Israel’s energy sector. They represent one of the main resources that Israel relies on for its energy needs, as well as for exporting gas to Europe and neighboring countries, such as Egypt and Jordan. These deals bring billions of dollars into Israel’s economy.

In recent decades, Israel has actively explored offshore gas fields along its occupied coastline, developing them into a key economic pillar. Major American and European companies hold substantial shares in these projects, most notably the American firm Noble Energy.

Several gas fields in the Mediterranean serve Israel’s domestic production and exports, powering energy and electricity plants across the occupied cities. Among the most prominent fields are:

1. 1. Tamar Field

       

      • • Discovered in 2009, Tamar is one of the largest gas fields under Israeli control.
      • • Located 90 kilometers off the coast of Haifa in deep waters.
      • • Production began in 2013, and the field supplies a significant portion of Israel’s domestic gas demand, with an annual output estimated at 11 billion cubic meters.

1. 1. Leviathan Field

       

      • • Discovered in 2010, Leviathan is the largest gas discovery in the Eastern Mediterranean.
      • • Located 130 kilometers off the coast of Haifa.
      • • Production started in 2019, with an annual output of around 22 billion cubic meters, primarily targeting international markets. Gas from this field is exported to Jordan, Egypt, and Europe through various pipelines.

1. 1. Karish Field

       

      • • The newest field, Karish, came online in recent years and is situated 90 kilometers off the coast of northern occupied Palestine.
      • • Discovered in 2013, it began producing gas in 2022, aimed at both local consumption and exports. Its annual output is expected to be around 8 billion cubic meters.

1. 1. Tanin Field

       

      • • Located 120 kilometers northwest of the occupied Palestinian coast.
      • • Discovered by Noble Energy in February 2012 at a depth of 5,500 meters underwater.
      • • The field is estimated to contain 921 billion cubic feet of gas and 4.5 million barrels of liquids, or 171.7 million barrels of oil equivalent.

Other Gas Fields Off the Coast of Gaza Seized by Israel:

1. 1. Mari-B Field

       

      • • Israel’s first gas field, discovered in 2000 at a depth of 2,082 meters underwater, off the coast of Gaza.
      • • Part of a group of fields in the southern waters of occupied Palestine, claimed by Gaza but controlled by Israel.
      • • It contains an estimated 1.2 to 1.3 trillion cubic meters of gas, and production began in 2003. The field can produce up to 600 million cubic feet of gas daily. Production was halted for several months after October 7, 2023, due to shelling from Gaza.

1. 1. Samson Field

       

      • • Drilled by the American company ATP East Med BV in 2012. Although it is legally owned by the Palestinian Authority, Israel continues to exploit its production.
      • • Located off the coast of Gaza, at a depth of 4,500 meters underwater.
      • • The field is estimated to contain 1.5 to 3.4 trillion cubic feet of gas. According to the Israeli newspaper Globes, daily production could average 22.7 million cubic feet of natural gas.

1. 1. Noa Field

       

      • • Situated 36 kilometers off the coast of Gaza, at a water depth of 700-760 meters.
      • • Discovered in 1999, with an expected production capacity of 3 trillion cubic feet of gas after development.
      • • Although it is supposed to be under Palestinian ownership, Israel began exploiting it without Palestinian consent in 2012. During the 2014 war on Gaza, Al-Qassam Brigades announced they had targeted the Noa Field.

1. 1. Gaza Marine Field

       

      • • Located 32 kilometers off the Gaza coast, at a depth of 306 meters.
      • • Discovered in 1999 with reserves of 1.4 trillion cubic feet of gas.
      • • Israel has prevented the Palestinians from accessing the field for years.

What Could Happen if Israeli Gas Fields and Platforms Are Targeted?

Israeli offshore gas fields are strategic targets for potential attacks by Hezbollah or even Iran, as these platforms could inflict both infrastructure and economic damage on Israel. Given the importance of these fields to Israel’s economy and its position as a major gas supplier to Europe, an attack on them would have far-reaching consequences.

These fields face geopolitical challenges, especially amidst the ongoing conflicts with Hezbollah, Iran, Houthi forces in Yemen, armed groups in Iraq, and Palestinian resistance factions in Gaza. For instance, in October 2023, production at the Tamar field was halted for 40 days following shelling from Al-Qassam Brigades.

An attack would disrupt natural gas production, directly affecting Israel’s economy. Any interruption could result in economic losses amounting to billions of dollars.

Israel is known to export significant quantities of natural gas to Europe, making this resource a crucial part of the global energy balance. If the platforms are targeted and production halts, global gas prices might rise due to supply disruptions, particularly as Europe seeks alternatives after the Ukrainian crisis and reduced dependence on Russian gas.

A direct strike on these platforms could lead to widespread power outages across Israel, affecting factories, businesses, and homes due to Israel’s heavy reliance on gas for electricity generation.

Hezbollah’s Capabilities:

• • Hezbollah possesses missiles and drones that could cause significant damage to these platforms, including:

     

    • • The Russian-made “Yakhont” missile, which can be launched from air, land, or submarines, with a range of 300 kilometers.
    • • The “C-802” missile, previously used in the 2006 attack on the Sa’ar 5 frigate, with a range of 120 kilometers.
    • • Various drone models, including Ababil, Mohajer, Shahed, and Mirsad-1 and Mirsad-2.

How Would Egypt and Jordan Be Affected if Israeli Gas Platforms Were Targeted?

Israel transports natural gas to Jordan and Egypt via pipeline networks that facilitate gas movement from the fields to processing stations within Israel, and then onto neighboring countries.

In 2005, Egypt and Israel signed a 20-year agreement to supply Egyptian gas to Israel, totaling 60 billion cubic feet annually. Since then, Egypt has begun importing gas from Israel, with daily imports reaching 100 million cubic feet.

By 2019, Egypt’s imports rose to 700 million cubic feet as part of a $15 billion agreement signed by Egypt’s Dolphinus Holding for gas from Israel’s Tamar and Leviathan fields.

On September 3, 2016, Jordan signed a 15-year agreement with the Leviathan gas consortium, represented by the American company Noble Energy, worth $15 billion. Under this deal, Jordan’s electricity company will pay $1 billion annually, representing about 80% of its gas needs for power generation.

Egypt and Jordan’s energy needs heavily depend on Israeli gas. Disruptions in gas supplies would lead to severe consequences. For example, in 2023, the Leviathan field produced approximately 11.19 billion cubic meters of gas, with around 80.4% exported to Egypt and Jordan. Egypt relies significantly on this supply to meet its energy demands and export through liquefaction plants. Any disruption could lead to extensive power cuts in Egypt.

Similarly, Jordan imports Israeli gas to power most of its electricity plants. Under the 2016 agreement, Jordan agreed to purchase 300,000 million thermal units of natural gas daily, accounting for 80% of its gas needs, at a total cost of $10 billion.