President Trump on Wednesday announced on Truth Social that Israel hit a “major facility known as South Pars Gas Field in Iran,” prompting Iran to launch retaliatory attacks on Qatar’s liquid natural gas facility at Ras Laffan Industrial City.
Qatari officials said Iran’s attacks caused “extensive damage” to the area of the world’s largest liquefied natural gas export facility, describing the move as “dangerous escalation, flagrant violation of state sovereignty, and a direct threat to its national security and regional stability.”
Trump’s statement confirms reports that Israel launched the initial attacks on the South Pars gas field.
Per the New York Times:
Iran and Qatar on Wednesday accused Israel of attacking a giant offshore natural gas field that the two countries share, sending the prices of oil and natural gas soaring on what would be a sharp escalation of strikes on energy infrastructure in the war against Iran.
Iran uses most of its natural gas domestically, meaning that the strikes will most likely have a limited effect on the global supply of gas, which is used in power plants, home furnaces and heavy industry. But the attacks signal that the Persian Gulf’s extensive energy facilities may be at growing risk.
Iran’s oil ministry said on social media that airstrikes had damaged a number of its facilities connected to the South Pars gas field. It appeared to be one of the most significant energy sites to be hit since the U.S.-Israeli air war against Iran began nearly three weeks ago.
Iranian state media reported that oil and petrochemical facilities in the southern city of Asaluyeh, a key hub for the country’s energy industry, were also hit by an airstrike.
This sent oil prices surging over $110.
Per CNBC, “Brent crude prices, the international benchmark, surged more than 7% to $111.23 by 4:52 p.m. ET.”
Notably, this comes after Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said the Strait is open to all except “those who are attacking us and their allies” and threatened to attack American energy infrastructure in the Middle East if the US or Israel targets its oil and energy infrastructure. Trump has threatened to attack Iran’s energy infrastructure but suggested he is saving those targets “for later.” He further threatened neighboring Gulf countries, from which missiles are being launched.
Israel recently attacked Iranian oil depots, leading to shock from American officials. War Secretary Pete Hegseth recently told reporters last week that Israel was pursuing “different objectives” in this attack.
And now, Trump says Israel executed another attack, which the US “knew nothing about” and that “Qatar was in no way, shape, or form, involved with it, nor did it have any idea that it was going to happen.”
“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,” he added. “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.”
Trump further said he does 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.” However, “if Qatar’s LNG is again attacked, I will not hesitate to do so,” he said.
Full statement below:
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.
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.
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. Thank you for your attention to this matter. President DONALD J. TRUMP
This comes after Trump threatened to “finish off” Iran.
MORE:
Trump Threatens to “Finish Off” Iran and Let Asia and NATO “Be Responsible” for the Strait of Hormuz
This is a developing story.
The post BREAKING: Trump Announces Israel “Violently Lashed Out” and Hit Gas Fields in Iran, Claims US “KNEW NOTHING” of Attack and “NO MORE ATTACKS WILL BE MADE BY ISRAEL” appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.