Trump says US had 'no idea' Israel would attack Pars gas field in Iran

US President Donald Trump on Thursday America had 'no idea' of Israel's attack on facilities linked to Iran's oil industry in South Pars and Asaluyeh, warning of severe military consequences if Tehran launches more attacks on  Qatar's energy infrastructure, as tensions across the Gulf escalated following strikes on major liquefied natural gas facilities.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said, “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."

On Wednesday, facilities linked to Iran’s oil industry in South Pars and Asaluyeh came under attack, according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency

"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," Trump said, adding that Israel will "NO MORE" target Iran’s South Pars gas field unless Tehran “unwisely decides to attack a very innocent, in this case, Qatar”.

In such a scenario, the United States, “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”, Trump wrote on Truth Social.

“I do not want to authorize this level of violence and destruction because of the long term implications that it will have on the future of Iran, but if Qatar’s LNG is again attacked, I will not hesitate to do so,” he added.

The remarks came amid mounting regional alarm after Qatar reported fires and damage at its Ras Laffan Industrial City, one of the world’s largest hubs for liquefied natural gas production.

Regional fallout

Qatar’s foreign ministry condemned what it described as Iranian attacks on energy facilities in Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, saying the strikes have “crossed all red lines.”

It called the targeting of such infrastructure a violation of international law and a threat to global energy security and navigation.

Iran’s attacks on the Gulf were a reprisal against Israel's strike on Iran’s half of South Pars, the world’s largest gas field that the Islamic Republic shares with Qatar.

Gulf states rushed to condemn the initial Israeli attack that prompted Iran’s retaliation, but responded with fury at Iran.

Qatar has urged de-escalation to restore regional stability, adding that civil defence teams were still responding to a fire in the Ras Laffan industrial area following the attack. 

QatarEnergy said the latest strikes caused “sizeable fires” at several LNG facilities, compounding earlier damage from an attack earlier in the week.

“These were ‘in addition to the previous attack on Ras Laffan Industrial City on Wednesday’ that ‘resulted in extensive damage to the Pearl GTL (Gas-to-Liquids) facility,’” the company said.

There has been “extensive further damage” from the new attacks, with emergency response teams “deployed immediately” and no reported casualties, QatarEnergy added.

Global impact 

The Gulf Cooperation Council has issued a strong rebuke. Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi condemned the Iranian strike on Qatar’s Ras Laffan Industrial City, calling it a “dangerous aggression” and a violation of international law.

He said the attack represented an unacceptable escalation that threatens regional security and global stability.

Albudaiwi warned that targeting oil facilities and infrastructure risks disrupting energy markets and supplies.

He urged the international community to act to halt further attacks and prevent what he called irresponsible conduct that could destabilise the region.

Iran also launched ballistic missiles at Saudi Arabia's capital as senior Muslim and Arab diplomats were meeting in Riyadh, in a sign that the US-Israeli war on Iran is spiralling into a no-holds-barred conflict.

Saudi Arabia has signalled a tougher stance.

Foreign Minister Prince Faisal said the kingdom’s patience with “Iranian aggression is not unlimited,” warning Riyadh reserves the right to respond.

Speaking in Riyadh, he said trust in Iran has been “completely shattered” and accused Tehran of carrying out premeditated attacks on neighbouring countries.

He said Iran’s justifications for targeting civilian sites were “unconvincing” and warned such actions would deepen its regional isolation.

Faisal added that foreign ministers meeting in Riyadh agreed Iran must halt its attacks and stop supporting allied groups, stressing that threats to navigation and regional security require a collective response.

The escalating tensions have already rippled through global markets. Asian stock indexes fell sharply in early trading Thursday as investors reacted to rising instability in a region central to global energy supplies.

Oil prices surged above $110 per barrel, reflecting fears of prolonged disruption to production and shipping routes.

Analysts warned that continued attacks on energy infrastructure could trigger broader economic consequences, including higher fuel costs and supply chain disruptions, while increasing the risk of a wider regional conflict.