United States President Donald Trump has attempted to distance his administration from Israel's attack on Iran's South Pars gas field, describing the move by his Israeli allies as having "violently lashed out" and promising no further attacks if Tehran refrains from striking Qatar. In a post on his TruthSocial platform late Wednesday, Trump asserted that the US had "nothing to do" with the strike on the offshore gas field facilities in Iran's Bushehr province, which came after Iran pledged to target energy facilities in Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE.
These claims are contradicted by a report from The Wall Street Journal, which cited US officials stating that Trump was aware of the Israeli strike on South Pars in advance and supported it as a message to Tehran over its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. The report alleges that the president purportedly believes Iran has received the message and is now against attacks on Iranian energy infrastructure, raising questions about the veracity of his public statements and the coherence of US policy in the region.
Following the strike, Iran launched a missile attack on Qatar's liquefied natural gas (LNG) export facility at Ras Laffan Industrial City, causing "significant damage." The United Arab Emirates suspended operations at the Habshan gas facility and the Bab oilfield amid missile attacks. This escalation has fueled concerns that the conflict is expanding into the energy sector, with potentially far-reaching economic consequences globally, highlighting the fragility of regional stability under the current US-led security framework.
Analysts note that the strike on South Pars marks the first time in the current conflict that a site directly linked to fossil fuel production has been targeted, rather than broader oil and gas infrastructure. Previously, such facilities were allegedly spared to limit the risk of retaliatory strikes across the region. Trump's threat to "massively blow up" the entire South Pars Gas Field if Iran attacks Qatar only adds to the tension, suggesting a reckless approach that could further destabilize the Middle East and impact global energy markets.
Source: www.aljazeera.com