The head of the Gas Exporting Countries' Forum warned that the Middle East war could turn short-term gas supply shocks into permanent demand destruction, threatening the global LNG market. The conflict has already disrupted international gas flows through the Strait of Hormuz and strikes on Persian Gulf infrastructure, and the resulting supply gap has pushed Asian LNG imports to their lowest levels in nearly six years. Asia is set to import 19.03 million tons of LNG this month, down from 20.69 million tons in March and a seasonal high of 26.34 million tons in December 2025. China's April imports fell to 3.36 million tons, the lowest since 2018. Algeria plans to boost gas production to 200 billion cu m by 2030, requiring $50-$60 billion of investment. Nigeria has increased LNG exports to Asia and plans to raise its plant capacity from 22 million tons to 30 million tons. Mshelbila, head of GECF, said that if the conflict ended today, the world would recover in six months to a year, but if it lasts six months, the knee-jerk changes could become structural. The secretary-general of GECF added that the expected oversupply this year may never materialise because the conflict has altered demand dynamics. He also noted that African producers have excess capacity but are not operating at full output, and that the reserves are still in the ground. With U.S. LNG stepping in to fill the gap left by Middle East producers, the market remains tight, but the long-term shift in demand could erode the projected oversupply and force buyers to rely on underutilised African and U.S. capacity for years to come.