Iranian drone and missile attacks on Qatar's Ras Laffan Industrial City have forced the shutdown of helium production, severely disrupting global technology supply chains.

The war, which erupted three weeks ago with U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, prompted retaliatory strikes by Tehran on Gulf energy infrastructure. QatarEnergy halted liquefied natural gas and associated helium output at the world's largest LNG export facility on March 2 following initial drone attacks. Subsequent missile barrages on March 18 caused extensive damage, with repairs potentially taking years.

Qatar produces more than one-third of the world's helium as a byproduct of natural gas processing, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. All three of Qatar's helium plants at Ras Laffan are now offline, removing about 5.2 million cubic meters of supply per month from the market. State-owned QatarGas reported a 14% cut in annual helium exports due to the damage.

Helium is essential for cooling and purging in semiconductor manufacturing, MRI machines, rocket engines, and scientific research. The halt exacerbates a fragile supply chain already strained by prior shortages. Phil Kornbluth, president of Kornbluth Helium Consulting, estimates a net global shortage of around 15% if the disruption persists. Helium prices have soared, with some contracts up 70%.

Semiconductor giants like TSMC and Intel, reliant on helium for chip fabrication, face production risks that could delay AI processors, electric vehicles, and consumer electronics. A prolonged outage beyond two weeks could trigger widespread disruptions, Kornbluth warned.

Qatar's energy minister stated that even if the war ends immediately, restarting helium deliveries could take weeks to months. Other producers in the U.S., Russia, and Algeria may ramp up, but capacity is limited. Closing the Strait of Hormuz could worsen the crisis by blocking 27% of helium shipments.

The conflict has also knocked out 17% of Qatar's LNG capacity, spiking energy prices and drawing international condemnation. Qatar expelled Iranian attaches and demanded an immediate halt to attacks.