Trump Privately Approved South Pars Strike While Publicly Claiming Israel Acted Alone and Threatening to ‘Massively Blow Up’ Entire Field if Iran Targets Qatari Energy Again
U.S. and Israeli officials told Axios the Israeli strike on Iran’s South Pars gas field was coordinated with and approved by the White House, even as President Trump publicly told reporters Israel “acted alone” and said the United States “knew nothing” about the attack. After Iran struck Qatari energy sites, Trump publicly warned there would be “NO MORE ATTACKS” and threatened to “massively blow up the entirety” of the South Pars field if Iran again targeted Qatar’s energy infrastructure, while also saying he did not want to authorize that level of destruction because of its long‑term implications.
📌 Key Facts
- An Israeli overnight strike on Iran’s South Pars gas field killed Iranian Intelligence Minister Esmail (Esmaeil) Khatib; earlier targeted killings also killed former speaker Ali Larijani and Basij commander Gen. Gholam Reza Soleimani.
- Qatar blamed Israel for the South Pars strike and the UAE called it a “dangerous escalation”; Iran then launched strikes across the Gulf — including Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and the UAE — and attacked Qatari Ras Laffan and LNG sites.
- U.S. and Israeli officials told Axios the Israeli strike on South Pars was coordinated with and approved by the White House, a claim that contradicts President Trump’s public assertion that the United States had no prior knowledge and that Israel “acted alone.”
- Qatari officials urgently contacted White House envoy Steve Witkoff and CENTCOM commanders after Iran’s first missile strike on Ras Laffan seeking to know whether the U.S. had prior knowledge of the Israeli strike, prompting a scramble to arrange a Trump–emir call.
- President Trump publicly insisted Israel “acted alone” and denied U.S. prior knowledge, while also declaring on Truth Social and to reporters that “NO MORE ATTACKS WILL BE MADE BY ISRAEL” on South Pars and warning that if Iran attacks Qatar’s energy infrastructure again the U.S. would “massively blow up the entirety” of the South Pars gas field — a strike he said he prefers not to authorize because of long‑term implications.
- Iran’s actions have made the Strait of Hormuz nearly impassable, with only a few ships (including some from India and Turkey) getting through, and President Trump has expressed frustration that allies have not sent warships to help reopen the waterway.
- The conflict has sharply driven up oil prices — Brent crude rose above $108 per barrel (about a 5% jump) and is roughly 50% higher since the war began — and the U.S. Treasury has eased sanctions on Venezuela to allow U.S. companies to do business with PDVSA to boost global oil supplies.
- Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned of unspecified “significant surprises” after Khatib’s killing, and Iranian attacks have killed civilians near Tel Aviv, underscoring rapid escalation across multiple fronts.
📊 Relevant Data
Black households in the US face an energy burden of 5.1% of their income on average, compared to 3.2% for the national average, exacerbating the impact of global oil price surges from the conflict.
Black Households Face Higher Heating Bills Than Other American Demographics — Caro News
As of 2023, racial minorities make up 42% of active-duty US military personnel, with Black service members comprising 17% and Hispanic 18%, compared to their population shares of 13.6% and 18.9% respectively.
2023 Demographics Report — Military OneSource
68% of connected American Jews support the US-Israel war against Iran, according to a 2026 survey, reflecting diaspora influence on US foreign policy.
68% of 'Connected' American Jews Support the US-Israel War Against Iran, Survey Finds — Washington Jewish Week
Iranian diaspora in the US, particularly Iranian Jews, express hope for regime change in Iran amid the conflict, with many viewing it as an opportunity for freedom in their former homeland.
Iranian Jews in the US view war with hope, trepidation and dreams of a future visit — The Times of Israel
Increased oil price uncertainty from events like the conflict leads to higher unemployment rates, with the effect 2-3 times larger for Black workers compared to White workers.
Racial and ethnic disparities in unemployment and oil price uncertainty — ScienceDirect
📰 Source Timeline (5)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- Trump now explicitly tells reporters that Israel “acted alone” in the South Pars strike and did not inform the United States, while reiterating that Qatar was not involved.
- He again threatens to destroy the entire South Pars field if Qatar’s energy facilities are attacked again, this time directly in the context of fresh Iranian strikes on Ras Laffan and Qatari LNG sites.
- The timing anchors his comments to Wednesday night, just before the Thursday reporting of continued attacks and Qatari retaliation via expulsions.
- Explicit public quote from Trump threatening that the U.S. would ‘massively blow up the entirety’ of the South Pars gas field if Iran continues striking Qatar’s energy infrastructure.
- Context that he pairs this with a statement that Israel ‘would not attack South Pars again,’ framing any future massive strike on the field as a U.S. decision, not an Israeli one.
- Trump adds that he does not want to authorize that ‘level of violence and destruction because of the long term implications that it will have on the future of Iran,’ signaling awareness of the potential humanitarian and geopolitical fallout.
- Axios reports that Israeli and U.S. officials say the Israeli strike on Iran’s South Pars natural gas facility was coordinated with and approved by the White House, contradicting Trump’s later public claim that 'the United States knew nothing about this particular attack.'
- Qatari officials, after Iran’s first missile strike on Ras Laffan, urgently contacted White House envoy Steve Witkoff and CENTCOM commanders demanding to know whether the U.S. had prior knowledge of the Israeli strike, triggering a scramble to arrange a Trump–emir call.
- In a Truth Social post after Iran’s second attack on Qatari gas facilities, Trump declared that 'NO MORE ATTACKS WILL BE MADE BY ISRAEL' on the South Pars field unless Iran again attacks 'a very innocent Qatar,' and warned that if Iran does, the U.S. will 'massively blow up the entirety of the South Pars Gas Field' with unprecedented force.
- Trump framed the original Israeli strike as Israel having 'violently lashed out' 'out of anger for what has taken place in the Middle East,' and explicitly asserted Qatar 'was in no way, shape, or form, involved,' even as U.S. and Israeli officials tell Axios his claim that Washington was unaware is inaccurate.
- Confirms that Israeli forces killed Iranian Intelligence Minister Esmail (Esmaeil) Khatib in an overnight strike, along with earlier killings of Ali Larijani and Basij commander Gen. Gholam Reza Soleimani.
- Reports Iran struck Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province and also attacked Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates on the same day, explicitly framing this as a strategy to drive up oil prices.
- Notes that Iran has made the Strait of Hormuz nearly impassable, with only a few ships (including some from India and Turkey) getting through, while Iran claims the waterway is closed only to the U.S. and many allies.
- Updates oil market data: Brent crude has surged another 5% to over $108 per barrel and is now up close to 50% since the war began on Feb. 28.
- Adds that the U.S. Treasury Department has just eased sanctions on Venezuela, allowing U.S. companies to do business with PDVSA to boost global oil supplies and counter Iran‑war‑driven price spikes.
- Reports that Qatar blames Israel for the strike on Iran’s South Pars gas field and that the UAE’s Foreign Ministry denounced the attack as a “dangerous escalation.”
- Quotes Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz promising unspecified “significant surprises” after Khatib’s killing and notes two people were killed near Tel Aviv in Iranian attacks.
- Describes President Trump’s growing frustration that allies have not sent warships to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz.