Washington DC [US], March 19 : News outlet Axios has reported that the strikes at South Pars Gas field in Iran came after US President Donald Trump gave it a green-light.
In its report, Axios said citing Israeli officials that PM Benjamin Netanyahu and President Trump coordinated about the strike, with the aim to deter Iran from continuing to disrupt oil supply through the Strait of Hormuz.
Axios further reported that the strikes by the Israeli Air Force at the natural gas processing facility in Southwest of Iran on Wednesday night was coordinated with and approved by the White House.
As per Axios, after the first Iranian missile strike, Qatari officials contacted White House envoy Steve Witkoff, CENTCOM commanders and other senior Trump administration officials and demanded to know whether Washington had prior knowledge of the Israeli strike, as per a source with knowledge of the matter.
It further reported that Witkoff conducted numerous calls with Qatari officials in an effort to organize an urgent call between Trump and the emir of Qatar, the source further said.
Earlier, US President Donald Trump said that Washington had no knowledge of the attack, claiming Israel "acted out of anger" striking at Iran's South Pars Gas Field which resulted in retaliation from Tehran.
In a sharply worded statement shared on Truth Social, the US President 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."
He said the US and Qatar were not aware of the attacks and stated that Israel would not target the South Pars Field unless Iran decides to attack Qatar again. He said that Washington would not be afraid of authorising destruction and violence on Tehran if Qatar's energy facilities are targeted again.
"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."
In retaliation to the South Pars attack, Iran targeted LNG facilities in Qatar and the Ras Laffan Industrial city. Iran's IRGC also warned that if the US-Israel repeat their attacks on Iran's energy assets the repercussion could be far worse.