Trump: Israel won't attack Iran gas field again

US President Donald Trump said an angry Israel had “violently lashed out” and attacked Iran’s major gas field, a significant escalation in the US-Israeli war, but said Israel would not make further such attacks unless Iran retaliated.

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Wednesday's attack on the huge South Pars gas field drove oil prices higher and prompted a threat by Iran to attack oil and gas targets across the Gulf, while it fired missiles at Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

The escalation heightens the unprecedented disruption of global energy supplies that has raised the political stakes for Trump, who joined Israel in attacking Iran nearly four weeks ago.

State oil giant QatarEnergy reported “extensive damage” after Iranian missiles hit the Ras Laffan Industrial City that processes about a fifth of global gas supply.

Saudi Arabia said it intercepted and destroyed four ballistic missiles launched toward Riyadh on Wednesday and an attempted drone attack on a gas facility in its east.

On Thursday, Iran again attacked Qatar’s gas facilities, and its missiles also targeted the Saudi capital.

QatarEnergy reported “sizeable fires” and extensive damage at several of its liquefied natural gas facilities hit by missile attacks early on Thursday.

Trump said the United States did not have advance knowledge of Israel’s attack and that Qatar had not been involved. The Wall Street Journal, however, reported that Trump had approved of Israel’s plan to attack Iran’s natural gas field.

“Israel, out of anger for what has taken place in the Middle East, has violently lashed out at a major facility known as South Pars Gas Field in Iran,” Trump posted on X on Wednesday.