Qatar warned Thursday that additional Iranian missile attacks damaged more liquefied natural gas sites in the country, “causing sizable fires and extensive further damage,” Associated Press reported citing Qatar Energy, the nation’s state-owned oil and gas company.

It said firefighters were working to halt the blazes and no one had been hurt so far.

It already shut production earlier in the war, but extensive damage could delay Qatar in getting its supplies to the market after the Iran war ends.

Meanwhile, Iran condemned the strike on its South Pars field, with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian warning of “uncontrollable consequences” that “could engulf the entire world.”

Iranian state media said Wednesday that Israel attacked Iran’s South Pars natural gas field — part of the world’s largest such gas resource and a pillar of the country’s energy supplies. Iran said it would retaliate by striking regional energy infrastructures. Iran condemned the strike on South Pars, with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian warning of “uncontrollable consequences” that “could engulf the entire world,” according to Associated Press.

In Washington, U.S. President Donald Trump said that Israel would not attack South Pars again, but warned on social media that if Iran continued striking Qatar’s energy infrastructure, the U.S. would retaliate and “massively blow up the entirety” of the field.

“I do not want to authorize this level of violence and destruction because of the long term implications that it will have on the future of Iran,” Trump said on social media.

Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš has called Israel’s attack Wednesday on Iran’s South Pars natural gas field “incomprehensible,” The Associated Press reported.

“This move has been totally damaging the markets,” AP quoted Babiš as saying. “The price of gas is exploding and the price of oil as well.”

The Czech Republic is one of Israel’s biggest allies within the European Union.

Global oil and natural gas prices soared Wednesday after Iran attacked a key natural gas facility in Qatar that can supply one-fifth of the world’s gas and two oil refineries in Kuwait in response to the South Pars attack. 

International benchmark Brent crude rose to near $114 per barrel, up from under $73 per barrel on the eve of the war, according to AP. 

The European TTF benchmark for natural gas prices traded 24% higher on Thursday.

A woman suspected of brutally beating her 1-year-old stepson has been placed in pretrial detention, prosecutors said Thursday.

The 1-year-2-month-old boy was hospitalized earlier this week in Yerevan in a state of clinical death, where doctors succeeded in saving his life. The baby remains hospitalized, and on Wednesday health authorities said there is “positive dynamics” in his condition.

The victim’s stepmother is charged with attempted murder and assault of a minor. A court approved the prosecution’s motion to place her in pretrial detention for a two-month period.

Prosecutors say the suspect regularly physically abused the child between January 22 and March 10 this year, and ultimately attempted to murder him on March 15 by beating him. There were no immediate public comments from the child’s father.

Authorities have not disclosed a possible motive.

EU Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos will visit Armenia on March 19.

According to her public schedule published by the European Commission, Kos will meet with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan, and Minister of Internal Affairs Arpine Sargsyan in Yerevan.

Her visit was first announced in February.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said on Thursday that his administration is transforming healthcare in Armenia into an industry.

“We are turning healthcare in our country into an industry. As we predicted, there are significant investments being made today. Medical robots are already being imported into Armenia because the [healthcare] community sees that the Government is making major investments. Moreover, these investments are not one-time; they are systematic and strategic. I am now pleased to note that, for example, in terms of health insurance, we have a certain level of confidence that we will not return to the old systems, because even during regional visits, we see that the system has begun to take root,” Pashinyan said at the Cabinet meeting. 

The landmark universal health insurance system in Armenia took effect January 1, 2026.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan reiterated on Thursday that the ongoing development of a new constitution and the issue of the Declaration of Independence reference are domestic matters.

Asked about the possible removal of the reference to the Declaration of Independence from the draft constitution currently under development, Pashinyan said:

“The issue of the Declaration of Independence and the issue of our Constitution is our internal matter, because it is necessary for us, not for others—to position ourselves correctly in the world. The Declaration of Independence is not a declaration of independence; it is a declaration of conflict, and as a result, a declaration of dependence.” According to him, in such an environment, it is possible to live only by expecting external assistance, and expecting external assistance will place one in a continuously increasing dependence on those from whom that assistance is expected.

“Therefore, the Declaration of Independence is a declaration of conflict and dependence. The Constitution and this discussion are necessary for us; it is a matter of our internal agenda. We have not discussed it with any external power, we are not discussing it, and we will not discuss it. We are discussing it with our people,” the Prime Minister emphasized.

Minister of Justice Srbuhi Galyan earlier said that the Council for Constitutional Reforms has finalized the draft constitution, which the government proposes to replace the current one via referendum. According to Galyan, the draft still needs to be discussed at the ruling Civil Contract party’s board meeting, as well as by its parliamentary faction.

Prime Minister Pashinyan had earlier announced that, in his opinion, the new constitution must not include a reference to the Declaration of Independence, unlike the current one.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said on Thursday that Armenia will attend the funeral of Ilia II, the Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, who passed away at the age of 93 on Tuesday, “at the highest level.”

Pashinyan had earlier sent a letter of condolence to Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze.

Speaking at a press briefing after the Cabinet meeting, Pashinyan said he plans to call Kobakhidze.

“The Republic of Armenia will participate in the funeral at the highest level,” Pashinyan said, without specifying further.

“I am planning to call the Prime Minister of Georgia to personally offer my condolences,” he added.

According to Georgian media reports, Ilia II will be laid to rest on Sunday, March 22.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan denied rumors on Thursday that the draft proposed constitution would remove mention of the Armenian Apostolic Church.

“We are working on the draft Constitution. I went through the draft Constitution again today, and it very clearly mentions the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church,” Pashinyan said at a press briefing, responding to a question about concerns that the mention of the Armenian Apostolic Church’s exclusive role might be removed from the text of the Constitution.

Minister of Justice Srbuhi Galyan earlier said that the Council for Constitutional Reforms has finalized the draft constitution, which the government proposes to replace the current one via referendum. According to Galyan, the draft still needs to be discussed at the ruling Civil Contract party’s board meeting, as well as by its parliamentary faction.

Armenia is ready to provide humanitarian assistance to neighboring Iran if the need arises, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said on Thursday.

He was asked at a press briefing whether Iran had requested humanitarian aid and whether there is such an initiative from the Armenian government.

Pashinyan said that Iran doesn’t need to ask. “The Islamic Republic of Iran does not need to appeal to us regarding humanitarian aid, because if we see any humanitarian need that we can support, we will take that step ourselves,” Pashinyan said.