Trump opposes more strikes on Iranian energy sites, report says

2026-03-19 - 05:59

Prior knowledge of Israeli strike Trump had advance knowledge of the Israeli operation and supported it as a warning to Iran regarding its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, officials told the newspaper . The US president now believes Tehran "got the message" and favors pausing further strikes on energy facilities, though this stance could shift depending on how Iran behaves in the strategic waterway going forward. Conditional pause in hostilities The Israeli airstrike targeted gas storage tanks at the South Pars field in Asaluyeh, halting production at two refineries with a combined daily capacity of approximately 100 million cubic meters, Iranian media reported. Trump has previously denied any rift with Israel over the attacks, dismissing such suggestions as "a complete lie" and insisting bilateral relations had "never been better." Wider conflict and market impact The US-Israeli campaign against Iran, launched Feb. 28, has reportedly claimed around 1,300 lives, including former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei . Tehran has responded with drone and missile attacks across the region while effectively closing the Strait of Hormuz, a critical transit route handling about 20 million barrels of oil daily and roughly 20% of global LNG trade, causing significant disruption to world energy markets.