US President Donald Trump issued a statement following attacks on a major gas field shared by Iran and Qatar on Wednesday.
According to reports, Israel hit Iran's South Pars, part of the world's largest natural gas field, and Tehran retaliated by striking an energy complex in Qatar, as reported by the BBC and other media outlets.
The attacks led to a spike in energy prices and prompted Trump to threaten Iran again on his Truth Social media platform, saying he didn't know about Israel's plans for the attack.
Police Response and Timeline
Israeli newspapers, including Yedioth Ahronoth and Israel Hayom, reported that the attack was coordinated in advance with the United States and agreed upon between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Trump.
However, Trump's statement contradicts these reports, saying the US "knew nothing about this particular attack", as stated in his Truth Social post.
Investigation and Official Statements
Alex Gandler, spokesman for the Israeli embassy in London, told the BBC that Israel and the US are "very much aligned on most or all of our goals regarding the Islamic regime in Iran".
David Satterfield, a former US special envoy for the Middle East, said Israeli and American objectives are closely aligned, except when it comes to when to call a halt, in an interview with the BBC.
International Implications
The conflict has led to rising oil and gas prices, with little obvious sign of progress in efforts to secure shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, according to reports from the region.
Support for the war is still high in Israel, but at less than 50% in the US, with the conflict potentially impacting the upcoming midterm elections, as reported by various news outlets.
