‘US knew nothing’: Trump says Israel attacked Iran’s South Pars Gas Field in anger; asks Tehran to not retaliate

US-Israel-Iran war: President Donald Trump said Israel hit Iran’s vital South Pars Gas Field “out of anger” and that the US knew nothing of it. This comes after Iran accused Israel of striking the gas field, indicating a major escalation and sending oil prices shooting higher. 

“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. A relatively small section of the whole has been hit. The United States knew nothing about this particular attack, and the country of Qatar was in no way, shape, or form, involved with it, nor did it have any idea that it was going to happen,” said Trump in a post on Truth Social.

Donald Trump asked Tehran to not retaliate. He said the US will, in that case, respond with more force.

“Unfortunately, Iran did not know this, or any of the pertinent facts pertaining to the South Pars attack, and unjustifiably and unfairly attacked a portion of Qatar’s LNG Gas facility. NO MORE ATTACKS WILL BE MADE BY ISRAEL pertaining to this extremely important and valuable South Pars Field unless Iran unwisely decides to attack a very innocent, in this case, Qatar - In which instance the United States of America, with or without the help or consent of Israel, will massively blow up the entirety of the South Pars Gas Field at an amount of strength and power that Iran has never seen or witnessed before,” he said. 

Trump said he does not authorise “this level of violence and destruction” because of the long-term implications it would have on the future of Iran. “But if Qatar’s LNG is again attacked, I will not hesitate to do so,” he warned.

South Pars is the Iranian sector of the world's largest natural gas deposit, shared with Qatar across the Gulf. Qatar's foreign ministry condemned an attack on Iran's South Pars facilities, describing it as "dangerous and irresponsible." It also criticised Iran for what it called a "flagrant breach" of international law and expelled two senior Iranian diplomats.

Israel has not publicly claimed responsibility for the attack. The Wall Street Journal, citing unnamed US officials, reported that Trump was aware of and supported Israel's plan to attack the gas field. Iran's Fars news agency said gas tanks and parts of a refinery were hit, workers were evacuated, and state media later confirmed the fire was under control.

Iran named several regional oil and gas facilities as "direct and legitimate targets." These include Saudi Arabia's Samref Refinery and Jubail Petrochemical Complex, the UAE's Al Hosn Gas Field, and Qatar's Mesaieed Petrochemical Complex, Mesaieed Holding Company, and Ras Laffan. Iran warned that these sites should be evacuated immediately before its missiles strike.