Israel-Iran War: Strikes on Tehran, Energy Crisis Deepens – Reuters

Israel launched a new wave of strikes on Tehran Friday, hours after President Donald Trump publicly admonished Israel for attacking Iranian natural gas infrastructure and as regional tensions escalate following Iranian retaliatory strikes that have significantly damaged Qatar’s energy output.

The Israeli military stated the strikes targeted “infrastructure of the Iranian terror regime” but provided no further details. Simultaneously, Bahrain, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates reported being targeted by missile attacks, occurring just before the start of the Eid al-Fitr holiday.

The latest attacks follow days of Iranian strikes on regional energy infrastructure, sending ripples through global markets. On Thursday, Iran retaliated for an Israeli attack on its South Pars gas field by striking Qatar’s Ras Laffan Industrial City, a facility that processes roughly 20% of the world’s liquefied natural gas. The damage is expected to take three to five years to repair, according to QatarEnergy’s CEO, and has prompted the country to declare force majeure on exports. Saudi Arabia’s main port on the Red Sea, used to divert exports away from the Strait of Hormuz, was also targeted.

Oil prices initially jumped on Thursday, reaching nearly $110 a barrel, but fell Friday as Western nations and Japan offered assistance in securing safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz – a critical waterway for approximately 20% of the world’s oil supply. The US also announced plans to increase domestic oil production. Despite these efforts, the strikes underscore Iran’s capacity to inflict significant economic damage and the vulnerability of Gulf energy assets.

Trump, facing potential political fallout from rising fuel prices ahead of November’s midterm elections, has publicly criticized allies for their cautious approach to securing the Strait of Hormuz. He stated he told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “Don’t do that,” referring to further attacks on energy infrastructure, and claimed Netanyahu assured him it would not happen. “I told him, ‘Don’t do that’, and he won’t do that,” Trump told reporters.

Netanyahu subsequently asserted that Israel acted alone in bombing Iran’s South Pars gas field. He also claimed Iran is being “decimated” and has lost the ability to enrich uranium or produce ballistic missiles, suggesting a potential need for a “ground component” to achieve a complete revolution in the country, though he did not elaborate.

Some analysts suggest the conflict is bolstering Netanyahu’s political standing within Israel, while simultaneously undermining Trump’s position, trapping him in a protracted conflict with no clear resolution and jeopardizing his Gulf Arab allies. The initial strikes, which killed Iran’s supreme leader and other high-ranking officials, occurred even as Washington and Tehran were engaged in negotiations regarding Iran’s nuclear program.

Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Japan issued a joint statement expressing their “readiness to contribute to appropriate efforts to ensure safe passage through the Strait” and to explore “other steps to stabilise energy markets, including working with certain producing nations to increase output.” However, concrete action remains elusive. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz emphasized that any contribution to securing the strait would only occur after hostilities cease, while French President Emmanuel Macron stated that defending international law and promoting de-escalation are the priorities.

Israel’s bombing of the South Pars gas field, which Trump said the US was not informed about beforehand, has raised questions about coordination and strategic alignment between the US and Israel. Three Israeli officials reportedly indicated the operation was conducted in consultation with the United States, but would likely not be repeated. US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard told the House Intelligence Committee that Washington and Israel have differing objectives, with Israel focused on disabling Iranian leadership and the US aiming to destroy Iran’s ballistic missile capabilities and navy.

Iran’s military warned that further attacks on its energy infrastructure would trigger retaliatory strikes on energy facilities linked to the United States. “If strikes (on Iran’s energy facilities) happen again, further attacks on your energy infrastructure and that of your allies will not stop until it is completely destroyed,” stated Iranian military spokesman Ebrahim Zolfaqari, according to state media. A spokesperson for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps affirmed that missile production continues despite the ongoing conflict, claiming the industry is operating at a high level with no production or stockpile concerns.