Former U.S. President Donald Trump has publicly declared that the United States had no advance knowledge of Israel’s recent military strike against Iranian oil facilities in the South Pars and Asaluyeh regions. The announcement, made via his Truth Social platform on Thursday, comes amid rapidly escalating tensions across the Persian Gulf following retaliatory attacks on Qatari energy infrastructure.
Trump characterized Israel’s action as a response driven by ‘anger for what has taken place in the Middle East,’ noting that the strike targeted a section of the massive South Pars Gas Field complex. He explicitly absolved Qatar of any involvement or foreknowledge of the Israeli operation.
The former president issued a severe warning to Iran, stating that any additional attacks on Qatar’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) facilities would trigger an overwhelming U.S. military response. “With or without the help or consent of Israel,” Trump wrote, the United States would “massively blow up the entirety of the South Pars Gas Field at an amount of strength and power that Iran has never seen or witnessed before.”
This exchange of attacks began when Israel struck Iran’s portion of the South Pars gas field, the world’s largest natural gas reservoir shared between Iran and Qatar. Iran subsequently launched retaliatory strikes against energy facilities in Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.
Qatar reported significant damage at its Ras Laffan Industrial City, a critical global LNG production hub. Qatari authorities condemned the Iranian attacks as violations of international law that threaten global energy security. QatarEnergy confirmed ‘sizeable fires’ at multiple LNG facilities with ‘extensive damage’ to the Pearl GTL facility.
The Gulf Cooperation Council issued a strong rebuke, with Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi condemning Iran’s strike on Qatar’s industrial complex as ‘dangerous aggression.’ Meanwhile, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan signaled a hardening regional stance, stating that Riyadh’s ‘patience with Iranian aggression is not unlimited’ and that trust in Tehran has been ‘completely shattered.’
The escalating conflict has already reverberated through global markets, with Asian indexes falling sharply and oil prices surging above $110 per barrel. Analysts warn that continued attacks on energy infrastructure could trigger broader economic consequences, including higher fuel costs and supply chain disruptions, while increasing the risk of a wider regional conflict.