NEW DELHI — The war on Iran and attacks on gas fields and oil refineries have disrupted oil and gas flows to Asia. Only about 90 vessels have passed through the Strait of Hormuz since February 28, 2026, mostly flagged by India, Pakistan, and China.

"The countries that are exposed to that supply disruption are not so much in Europe, or in the Americas, they're actually really in the Asia region," said Michael Williamson, a United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific official. Asia relies heavily on imported energy shipped through the Strait of Hormuz.

Israel launched a strike on the South Pars gas field in Iran, the world's largest gas field. Iran retaliated by attacking energy sites in several Gulf Arab states. Iran bombed the Ras Laffan Industrial City in Qatar, a complex processing liquefied natural gas, attacked a Saudi refinery on the Red Sea, and attacked two oil refineries in Kuwait.

The international benchmark price of Brent crude oil rose to as high as $119 per barrel. Wholesale natural gas prices across Europe rose by as much as 25%. QatarEnergy said the attacks on its facilities caused fires and extensive damage but resulted in no casualties.

Japan released 15 days of private-sector oil stockpiles and a month's worth of supplies from its national reserves to cushion the impact of supply disruptions. The government of South Korea lifted a national cap on coal-fired power generation and is planning to boost nuclear power output.

Pakistan ordered schools to close for two weeks to conserve energy and cut free fuel allocations for government vehicles by 50% for two months. Pakistan canceled the Pakistan Day parade scheduled for next week to save energy and decided to mark Pakistan Day with a flag-hoisting ceremony instead.

Thailand suspended petroleum exports, increased coal output and hydropower generation, and directed government offices to conserve energy under its emergency energy plan. The Philippines government provided one-time cash assistance of 5,000 pesos to about 139,000 tricycle taxi drivers in Manila and shifted government offices to a four-day work week to reduce energy consumption.

India increased domestic production of cooking gas and prioritized its distribution to households. The state-run Nepal Oil Corporation began rationing cooking gas by issuing cylinders filled to half capacity and raised gasoline prices by about 10%.