Oil prices rose above $110 (£82.78) a barrel after Iranian media reported an airstrike hitting a facility on the world’s largest natural gas field.

The Brent crude oil benchmark hit $112 a barrel in early Thursday trade in Asia, more than 5 per cent higher than Tuesday’s prices.

The benchmark UK gas price also jumped by 6 per cent to 143.

The surge followed reports Iran’s petrochemical complex on the South Pars gas field had been hit. Several hours later, Qatar reported that there was “extensive damage” at the Ras Laffan industrial site following threats from Iran.

While the price of both oil and gas spiked, they remained below highs seen earlier in the conflict.

Oil reached $116.78 a barrel on 9 March, while UK gas reached 162.55p a therm on 3 March.

Iran’s oil ministry said a fire at the petrochemical complex was under control, according to Tasnim, a news agency affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Iran’s military warned it would take “decisive action” in response to the strike on its energy infrastructure.

“As previously warned, if the fuel, energy, gas, and economic infrastructures of our country are attacked by the American-Zionist enemy, in addition to a powerful counterattack against the enemy, we will severely strike the origin of that aggression as well,” the military said in a statement published by Tasnim.

“We consider targeting the fuel, energy, and gas infrastructures of the countries of origin legitimate and will retaliate strongly at the earliest opportunity.”

Qatar also operates facilities on the gas field, which it calls North Dome.

But the country, which produces a fifth of the world’s liquefied natural gas, had halted production earlier in March in response to the conflict.

Qatar’s foreign ministry spokesman Majed Al Ansari said strikes against energy infrastructure “constitutes a threat to global energy security”.

Just after 1815 GMT, the Qatari interior minister said it was responding to “a fire in the Ras Laffan area following an Iranian targeting”. Qatar’s petrol firm Qatar Energy later said there was “extensive damage” at the site.

The interior minister said just after 1900 GMT that it had “initially brought the fire in Ras Laffan under control, with no injuries reported”.

Ras Laffan was among the sites listed by Iran in a warning that it would take “decisive action” after its South Pars gas field facilities were reportedly hit by Israeli strikes.

‘Energy markets will likely remain volatile’

AJ Bell’s head of financial analysis Danni Hewson said the attack and retaliation by Iran had “helped dial up the temperature once again and put renewed upward pressure on oil prices”.

“Any solution to the blockage of the Strait of Hormuz looks pretty distant at this point and until there is progress on that front, energy markets will likely remain volatile,” she added.

The White House on Wednesday responded to the rising oil price by saying it was suspending the Jones Act, a 1920 law that says only American-made ships can be used to transport goods between US ports.

US Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the 60-day waiver of the rules, which are intended to boost shipbuilding, will allow “vital resources like oil, natural gas, fertilizer, and coal to flow freely” as non-American-made ships can now be used.

However, maritime groups in the US said the effect would be minimal, noting that oil prices, not shipping costs, are behind rising prices at the pump.

Experts say earlier efforts by world leaders to ease price pressures, including an unprecedented release of oil reserves, have done little to reduce oil prices.

Meanwhile, Iran has also suspended the flow of gas to Iraq to shore up domestic supplies, a senior Iraqi official told Reuters.

The vast majority of Iran’s gas supply 94 per cent is used domestically, according to data from the Gas Exporting Countries Forum.

From Sylvia Udegbunam, Enugu

A health specialist and founder (O.A.K) diabetic foundation USA, Uche Emeson has charged women to take care of their health so that they can take care of others and be available for their family and community.

Emeson made this call during the celebration of International Women’s day by Refreshing hope unique women at New haven Enugu, noting that women take their health for granted because they are the caregivers of the family.

She encouraged the women not to neglect themselves no matter how much they give to others, advising them not to be the last one to take care of themselves but rather go for annual physical exams.

According to her “Are you in a healthy relationship? I know you take care of someone that is your children, families, communities but at the end of the day, you don’t take care of yourself. You have to be alive and healthy to take care of others”, she said.

Refreshing hope unique women are there to empower women to take care of their community but at the same time, they are the centre of that community. Be in a healthy relationship whether they are married, single or young. Make sure your health counts so that you can give your best.

She further advises women to know their family history. “If cardiac arrest, diabetes or any sickness is in your family, it is very important that you trace it from your mother, grandmother, sisters and your siblings. If you find out that you have cardiac arrest in your family, you make sure you check your blood pressure at least every month”.

“If you know your family history early, you will start to manage it with lifestyle modification. Check the kind of food you eat, the portion of food you eat, if you have to increase your physical activities, monitor your numbers, know the nutrition plans you are giving to your family.

The Chief executive officer of Refreshing Hope Initiative, Adaena Ngozi said that the organization commemorates the women’s day annually which is known as Refreshing hope unique women.

She noted that it is a celebration where women and youths gather to align with what every woman is doing. A period to encourage, appreciate women and check and see how far they have gone in the struggle and fight to be heard, seen and given the opportunity to develop and be a part of developing Society.

However she pointed out that giving is not only cash or material things but one can give out time, advice, commitment, sacrifices and smile to someone depending on the need at that period.

The founder Heroine Foundation, Onyinye Mama in a panel discussion explained that this year’s International Women’s day themed “Give to Gain” connotes Justice, actions and Right. One has to give out something before gain.

“Whatever you expect to get from another person and you have not given to the society, you don’t have to demand for it. You have to give out justice, action and right to another person in your own small living circle so that you can gain something also.

She further advises women to exhibit good character in their various homes stressing that it is the spice of every marriage.

The event featured panel discussion, presentation of goodwill messages and dance by Solidarity school new haven Enugu.

US President Donald Trump said on Monday that he is planning to delay a high stakes visit to China later in March by about a month because of the Iran war.

“We’ve requested that we delay it a month or so,” he told reporters at the White House, adding that it was important that he remained available to oversee the war.

The meeting between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping is currently set to take place between 31 March to 2 April, following their last face to face talks in October last year.

Chinese foreign affairs spokesman Lin Jian said yesterday that Beijing and Washington are in talks over “the timing and related matters of President Trump’s visit to China”.

China also rejected any connection between the delayed meeting and issues around the Strait of Hormuz a critical waterway for global energy shipments from the Gulf.

“We have noted that the US side has publicly clarified these false reports by the media, stating that the relevant reports are completely wrong, and emphasised that the visit has nothing to do with the issue of the open navigation of the Strait of Hormuz,” Jian said.

On Sunday, Trump told the Financial Times he might postpone the meeting if China did not help unblock the Strait of Hormuz. But on Monday, he said he had proposed the delay solely to make sure he was around to manage the war.

“I’m looking forward to being with him,” he said, referring to Xi. “We have a very good relationship.”

“There are no tricks to it either,” Trump added. “It’s very simple. We’ve got a war going on. I think it’s important that I be here.”

The Iran war has eclipsed most of Trump’s other foreign policy priorities, faced with an intensifying conflict and disruptions to the global oil supply, which has threatened to raise prices in the US.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Monday that the meeting’s delay would not be due to Washington’s request that Beijing help in the Gulf, or any trade disagreements.

Bessent said: “The President wants to remain in DC to coordinate the war effort. Travelling abroad at a time like this may not be optimal.”

Trump’s remarks come as frictions between the world’s two largest economies have grown, fuelled by the Iran war.

Beijing is a major buyer of Iranian energy exports and has criticised the US and Israeli strikes against the country.

Washington also announced it would investigate trade practices among a list of countries, including China, after Trump’s signature tariff policy was struck down by the Supreme Court in February.

Representatives from the US and China have met in Paris in recent days for negotiations, such as over investments, tariffs and economic sanctions.

The sides reached consensus on some issues and will carry on with negotiations, Chinese trade representative Li Chenggang was quoted as saying in state media outlet Xinhua on Monday.

US representatives briefed their Chinese counterparts on changes to Washington’s tariff measures, said Li.

Chinese negotiators expressed “serious concern” about Washington’s plans to probe the country’s trade practices and urged the US to maintain economic stability, he said.