Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, stated Thursday that Israel “acted alone” in carrying out the attack on Iran’s South Pars gas field, a strike that intensified conflict in the Middle East and prompted Donald Trump to affirm that Israel would not target the site again.
The assault on the South Pars field occurred Wednesday. In retaliation, Iran struck major energy facilities in the Persian Gulf belonging to U.S. allies, damaging Qatar’s Ras Laffan Industrial City and the United Arab Emirates’ Bab gas field.
The back-and-forth attacks have pushed the region closer to full-scale war while driving oil prices higher. Trump said the United States had no prior knowledge of Israel’s plan to strike South Pars and warned Iran against further attacks on Qatar. He also indicated that Israel would refrain from hitting Iranian energy infrastructure unless Tehran launched another strike against Qatar.
Trump’s statements, and the reasoning behind U.S. involvement in the conflict, have faced scrutiny after reports challenged his claim of being unaware of the South Pars operation. Critics have suggested that Israel’s actions may have drawn the United States into the war.
Speaking to reporters in English on Thursday, Netanyahu largely supported Trump’s account, asserting, “Israel acted alone against the Asaluyeh gas compound,” referring to the nearby Iranian port and industrial hub commonly associated with the gas field.
Netanyahu did not directly confirm whether the United States had prior knowledge of the strike. Instead, he emphasized that further attacks would not take place, in line with the American president’s instructions. “President Trump asked us to hold off on future attacks, and we’re holding off,” he said.
The press briefing came amid reports—including from CNN—citing U.S. and Israeli officials that the strike had been coordinated with Washington. It also occurred as criticism grows that Israel may have drawn the United States into the conflict.
Following the initial joint attacks on Feb. 28, Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters that the U.S. action was preemptive, aiming to minimize American casualties after anticipating Israel’s strike on Iran and potential retaliation by Tehran.
The Trump administration has consistently rejected the notion that Israel pressured the United States into war, asserting that the president’s decisions were independent. Netanyahu echoed this view, asking, “Does anyone really think that someone can tell President Trump what to do? Come on. President Trump always makes his decision on what he thinks is good for America, and may I add, I think what is also good for future generations.”
