Trump Demands Allies ‘Get Your Own Oil’ as Iran War Fuels Price Surge
Dramatic footage shared by US President Donald Trump showed the moment US forces struck a large ammunition depot in the central Iranian city of Isfahan with 2,000lb bunker buster bombs, triggering a massive explosion, as tensions escalated and allies expressed frustration with the US war effort.
The strikes, which occurred Tuesday, came as Tehran attacked a fully loaded Kuwaiti oil tanker in the Persian Gulf, and as average US gas prices surpassed $4 a gallon due to Iran’s disruption of the Strait of Hormuz. Trump, in a social media post, criticized allies who have not contributed more to the US-led effort, telling them to “go get your own oil.”
Footage of the Isfahan strike, originally posted by Vahid Online, an aggregator known for sharing footage from Iran, was shared by Trump on his Truth Social platform. A US official told the Wall Street Journal that the bombs used were “penetrator munitions” designed to target areas deep underground. Fire-tracking satellites from NASA indicated the explosions occurred near Mount Soffeh, an area believed to house Iranian military positions.
The attack on Isfahan, home to one of Iran’s largest nuclear facilities, marks a significant escalation in the conflict, which began in February. More than 3,000 people have died as a result of the fighting, and global oil and natural gas supplies have been severely disrupted, roiling international markets. Spot prices for Brent crude hovered around $107 a barrel Tuesday, a more than 45% increase since the war began.
Trump has repeatedly threatened further action, including the “complete obliteration” of Iran’s energy resources and desalination plants if a deal is not reached “shortly.” He also claimed the US bombed Kharg Island, a key oil hub in the Strait of Hormuz, on March 13.
The US actions have drawn criticism from allies. France has been singled out by Trump for not allowing planes to fly over its territory while carrying military supplies to Israel. Italy recently refused to allow US military assets to use the Sigonella air base in Sicily for operations related to the offensive, according to an official with knowledge of the matter. Spain has closed its airspace to US planes involved in the conflict.
Meanwhile, a foreign journalist has been kidnapped in Iraq, according to the Iraqi Interior Ministry. Security forces have arrested one suspect and seized a vehicle used in the kidnapping, but other suspects remain at large. It is currently unclear if the kidnapping is related to the ongoing conflict, though Iran-backed militias in Iraq have regularly attacked US facilities since the war began.
In a separate incident, an Iranian drone struck a Kuwaiti oil tanker off the coast of Dubai, sparking a fire that was later extinguished. Air raid sirens sounded in Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia reported intercepting three ballistic missiles launched toward its capital. Israel also reported incoming missile barrages from Iran.
Israeli military strikes targeted what they described as Hezbollah infrastructure in Beirut, with Defense Minister Israel Katz stating plans to control the area south of the Litani River in Lebanon. The conflict in Lebanon has resulted in over 1,200 deaths and displaced more than 1 million people. Ten Israeli soldiers have died in Lebanon, and 13 US service members have been killed in the wider conflict.
Supporters of imprisoned Iranian Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi have reported she may have suffered a heart attack while in custody at Zanjan Prison. Authorities have refused to transfer her to a hospital or allow her to see a specialist, despite her pre-existing heart condition.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth declined to comment on the possibility of deploying US ground forces, stating, “We don’t aim for to have to do more militarily than we have to.”