Netanyahu Claims Israel ‘Acted Alone’ After Trump Says He Told Israel to Stop Hitting Iranian Energy
A stunning crack has opened between the United States and Israel on Day 20 of Operation Epic Fury — and it’s all about energy.
Israel’s attack on Iran’s South Pars gas field on Wednesday, March 18, has triggered the most significant diplomatic rift between Washington and Jerusalem since the war began on February 28. President Donald Trump publicly condemned the strike, saying Israel hit the world’s largest natural gas field “out of anger” and that the U.S. had “no knowledge” of the attack. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fired back Thursday, insisting Israel “acted alone” and dismissing as a “canard” the claim that Israel had dragged America into the war.
The fallout has been immediate — and devastating for global energy markets.
What Happened at South Pars?
On Wednesday, Israeli forces struck production facilities tied to the South Pars gas field in Iran’s Bushehr Province. South Pars is the world’s largest natural gas reserve, shared between Iran and Qatar in the Persian Gulf. The field is the backbone of Iran’s domestic energy supply — approximately 80% of the country’s electricity comes from natural gas, according to the International Energy Agency.
Israeli media reported the strikes damaged up to one-fifth of Iran’s gas processing capacity, including the Asaluyeh processing hub, a critical node in Iran’s energy network. It was the first time Israel targeted Iranian fossil fuel production infrastructure since Operation Epic Fury began.
The attack represented a dramatic escalation. While U.S. and Israeli forces have spent three weeks systematically destroying Iran’s ballistic missile sites, air defenses, and military command structures, energy infrastructure had remained off-limits — an unspoken red line that Israel crossed unilaterally.
Trump’s Fury: ‘We Knew Nothing About This’
President Trump did not mince words. Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, he said the United States “knew nothing” about Israel’s attack on South Pars, directly contradicting earlier Israeli claims that the strike was coordinated with Washington. On Thursday, Trump confirmed he had called Netanyahu and told him to stop attacking Iran’s energy facilities.
Trump went even further, issuing a blunt warning to Iran: if Tehran continued striking energy sites in Gulf states like Qatar and Saudi Arabia, the United States would “blow up” the South Pars field entirely. It was a remarkable moment — an American president simultaneously rebuking his closest ally and threatening Iran’s most vital economic asset in the same breath.
Iran Retaliates: Gulf Energy Sites Under Fire
Iran’s response to the South Pars strike was swift and fierce. Tehran launched attacks on energy infrastructure across the Gulf region, setting ablaze:
- Qatar’s Ras Laffan LNG facility — a key source of liquefied natural gas for global markets. Qatar reported extensive damage and reduced exports.
- A Kuwaiti oil refinery — struck by Iranian missiles in a significant escalation against a Gulf neighbor.
- Saudi Arabia’s SAMREF refinery in the Red Sea port city of Yanbu — Saudi Arabia had begun redirecting oil shipments west to bypass the Strait of Hormuz, but Iran’s drone strike proved that alternative routes aren’t safe either.
- A vessel off the UAE coast was set ablaze, and another was damaged near Qatar, underscoring the threat to commercial shipping.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi issued a chilling warning on X (formerly Twitter): “Our response to Israel’s attack on our infrastructure employed a FRACTION of our power. The ONLY reason for restraint was respect for requested de-escalation. If struck again, there will be ZERO restraint.”
Energy Markets in Turmoil
The tit-for-tat strikes on energy infrastructure sent global fuel prices soaring to levels not seen in years. Brent crude oil briefly surged above $119 per barrel — up more than 60% since the war started on February 28. European natural gas prices have roughly doubled over the past month.
The Strait of Hormuz, through which approximately one-fifth of the world’s oil is transported, remains under Iran’s effective stranglehold. Combined with the attacks on Gulf production facilities, energy analysts warn that sustained disruption could push oil well above $130 per barrel.
Trump attempted to reassure Americans on Thursday, saying he would “do whatever was necessary” to lower oil prices. In a remarkable twist, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent suggested the administration might consider the paradoxical step of lifting sanctions on some Iranian oil to ease supply pressures — while the U.S. is actively bombing the country.
Netanyahu Pushes Back: ‘Iran Is Being Decimated’
In a defiant televised address Thursday evening, Netanyahu dismissed criticism and declared that Iran was being “decimated.” He made sweeping claims that Iran can no longer enrich uranium or manufacture ballistic missiles — though he provided no evidence to support these assertions.
Netanyahu agreed to pause strikes on South Pars at Trump’s request, signaling at least a temporary de-escalation on the energy front. But his insistence that Israel “acted alone” and his dismissal of claims that Israel dragged the U.S. into war suggest the underlying tension with Washington is far from resolved.
The Israeli prime minister’s defiance comes as Israel itself faces intensifying Iranian attacks. On Friday, sirens sounded across northern Israel from Haifa to the Galilee as Iran launched another wave of missiles and drones. Israel responded with airstrikes on Tehran — timed to coincide with Nowruz, the Persian New Year — a move likely to further inflame Iranian public sentiment.
The Bigger Picture: A War Nobody Can Control
Three weeks into Operation Epic Fury, the conflict is expanding beyond what either Washington or Jerusalem appear to have anticipated:
- Military reinforcements: Reuters exclusively reported that the Trump administration is considering deploying thousands of additional U.S. troops to the region, with options including securing the Strait of Hormuz, seizing Iran’s Kharg Island oil export hub, and even deploying forces to secure Iran’s highly enriched uranium stockpiles.
- Gulf states drawn in: The UN Security Council held an urgent closed meeting Thursday where Gulf countries stressed the need for Iran to halt attacks on their energy infrastructure.
- Mojtaba Khamenei’s disappearance: Iran’s new Supreme Leader — the son of Ali Khamenei, who was killed in the war’s opening strikes — has not been seen publicly, fueling speculation about a leadership crisis in Tehran.
- Civilian toll mounting: A UN expert reported over 1,000 Iranian civilians killed, with a primary school struck and several UNESCO World Heritage Sites damaged.
What Comes Next?
The South Pars crisis has exposed a fundamental tension at the heart of the U.S.-Israel war effort. Washington wants a controlled, surgical campaign focused on military targets. Israel, facing daily missile barrages and having lost the concept of strategic patience, wants to hit Iran where it hurts most — its economy.
With Brent crude above $119, global markets in turmoil, Gulf allies under fire, and the American public showing low support for the campaign, Trump faces an increasingly difficult set of choices. The White House maintains “all options are on the table,” but each escalatory step brings new risks and new adversaries.
As Operation Epic Fury enters its fourth week, the question is no longer whether the U.S. and Israel can destroy Iran’s military. They clearly can. The question is whether they can manage the cascading consequences of doing so — and whether the alliance itself can survive the strain.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as the situation evolves.