On the 18th (local time), as Israel bombed Iran's largest gas field, U.S. President Donald Trump backed the strike but was reportedly negative about further bombing, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported.
Citing U.S. officials, the WSJ said Trump was aware in advance of Israel's attack on the South Pars gas field and supported it as a way to send a warning over Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
According to these officials, Trump believes the strike has delivered a sufficient message to Iran and, for now, wants to refrain from additional attacks on Iran's energy infrastructure.
However, U.S. officials said, "If Iran continues to block the free passage of tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, we could again authorize attacks on Iran's gas and oil facilities."
The WSJ said, "Trump's decision shows how precariously he is walking a tightrope during the volatile period of the Iran war," adding, "Attacking Iran's energy facilities could drive up gas prices and hit the global economy, which could work against Republicans in the Nov. midterm elections."
Earlier the same day, Israel bombed energy facilities around Asaluyeh near the South Pars gas field along Iran's southern Persian Gulf coast. This is the first time since the war began that Israel has attacked Iran's energy production facilities.
South Pars is the Iranian section of the world's largest natural gas deposit shared by Iran and Qatar, and about 70% of Iran's domestic natural gas is produced there.
With Iran launching immediate retaliatory attacks, concerns are growing that the strike could deliver a major shock to the global energy market. President Masoud Pezeshkian said on the social media platform X, "This attack will further complicate the situation, and its ripple effects could lead to uncontrollable consequences that sweep across the world."
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) also threatened shortly after the attack to carry out retaliatory strikes "within hours" on energy facilities across Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar. In fact, Iran that day launched missile attacks targeting Qatar's key gas facilities.