US President Donald Trump pledged Israel would make no more attacks on Iran’s major South Pars gas field, but if Iran attacked Qatar again, the U.S. would retaliate and “massively blow up the entirety” of the field.
Trump made his threat on social media Wednesday night as the war roiled global energy markets and Iranian missiles hit Qatar.
The United States was informed about plans for an Israeli strike on Iran’s massive offshore South Pars natural gas field Wednesday but did not take part in it, according to a person familiar with the matter who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.
U.S.-Israeli war with Iran is escalating pressure on the region's energy sector, the price of oil surged another 5% to over $108 a barrel on international markets, increasing the cost of gasoline and other goods while squeezing the global economy.
Global oil prices rose on news of the Pars field attack due to fears of Iranian retaliation on Gulf energy infrastructure. Hours later, authorities in Qatar said a ballistic missile hit the country’s key natural gas site, sparking a fire that caused “extensive” damage, and Qatar ordered some Iranian Embassy officials out of the country.
Iran has been striking its Persian Gulf neighbors’ energy facilities since the war started on Feb. 28, and has made the Strait of Hormuz shipping channel, through which one-fifth of the world’s oil travels, nearly impassable. Iran and Hezbollah have also been firing drones and missiles at Israel.
The U.S.-Israeli war with Iran has killed at least 1,300 people in Iran, more than 960 in Lebanon and 14 in Israel, according to officials in those countries. The U.S. military says 13 U.S. service members have been killed and about 200 wounded.