NEW YORK - Explosions under the Baltic Sea and the rupturing of major natural gas pipelines from Russia to Germany appeared to be a deliberate attack, officials across Europe said yesterday, deepening uncertainty about European energy security amid soaring prices and fears of running short of fuel over the winter, according to the New York Times.

Three separate leaks erupted from the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines, which were already caught up in the conflict over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, sending swirling streams of methane to the surface of waters off Denmark and Sweden. Top Polish and Ukrainian leaders blamed Moscow, while the Russian state media suggested U.S. or Ukrainian involvement.

The pipelines have been a focal point of the broader confrontation between Russia and Europe. After the E.U. imposed economic sanctions on Russia, Moscow began withholding its natural gas, threatening the continent’s energy supply.

The C.I.A. issued a vague warning in June to a number of European nations, including Germany, that the two Nord Stream gas pipelines that carry natural gas from Russia could be targeted in attacks, officials said.

A potential agreement between Israel and Lebanon, which have technically been at war since 1948, could increase production of natural gas, helping energy-starved Europe.