ISRAEL'S DANGEROUS GAME: ISRAEL STRIKES WITHOUT U.S. KNOWLEDGE; TRUMP SAYS “IT WON’T HAPPEN AGAIN”
Prof. Dr. Sedat Laçiner Current Essays, 19 March 2026 ✔️ Israel has carried out a major strike on Iran’s largest natural gas field infrastructure—an attack that triggered harsh retaliatory responses from Tehran targeting energy assets linked to Qatar and Saudi Arabia. ✔️ In fact, Washington had been careful to avoid targeting Iran’s energy sector. The U.S. had even tolerated Iranian oil exports to some extent, mindful of the risk of rising global oil prices. Iran remains a significant exporter, and price stability is a core American concern. ✔️ Secondly, U.S. officials are acutely aware that striking Iranian oil facilities could prompt Tehran to retaliate against Gulf energy infrastructure. That is precisely what Washington wants to avoid: the Gulf Arab states are key U.S. allies, and protecting oil and gas flows is paramount. Israel, however, appears undeterred. ✔️ Just last week, Israeli aircraft struck five energy facilities around Tehran. Now, they have targeted the South ...
