President Donald Trump is clashing with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after a major escalation in the Iran war sent gas prices surging and exposed tensions between the two allies.
Trump confirmed he personally told Netanyahu to stop targeting Iran’s oil infrastructure after Israeli strikes hit the South Pars gas field, triggering retaliation across the region and pushing energy markets higher.
“Yeah, I did,” Trump said when asked if he spoke with Netanyahu. “I told them, ‘don’t do that.’ And he won’t do that.”
The president made clear that while the U.S. and Israel coordinate closely, there are limits, adding that when Israel takes actions he disagrees with, he steps in to stop them.
The strike marked a major escalation. Iran responded by targeting energy infrastructure in the Gulf, including a liquefied natural gas facility in Qatar, raising fears of a broader regional conflict.
Gas prices in the U.S. have already climbed to about $3.90 per gallon, up from $2.90 before the war began on February 28.
Trump said the U.S. was not informed ahead of Israel’s attack on the gas field.
In a Truth Social post, he claimed the U.S. “knew nothing” about the strike, while warning that further Iranian retaliation could lead to massive U.S. action.
“I do not want to authorize this level of violence,” Trump said, but added that if key infrastructure is hit again, he would not hesitate to escalate.
The fallout has angered U.S. allies. Leaders in Europe and the Middle East criticized the escalation, with French President Emmanuel Macron calling the strike “reckless.”
At the same time, multiple countries, including the U.K., France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and Canada, signaled readiness to help secure shipping routes in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil chokepoint.
Trump has also used the moment to attack NATO, accusing alliance members of failing to act quickly enough to protect global shipping lanes, according to the Daily Mail.
“They don’t want to help us defend the Strait, and they’re the ones that need it,” Trump said, arguing that U.S. allies rely more heavily on the route than America does.
During an Oval Office meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, Trump praised Japan for stepping up while criticizing NATO countries for what he described as delayed support. He argued that U.S. strategy requires unpredictability, saying allies were not informed in advance because “we wanted surprise.”
The comments highlight growing strain inside the U.S.-Israel relationship as the war expands. While Trump continues to support Israel’s broader campaign against Iran, his push to limit attacks on energy infrastructure shows concern over economic fallout, particularly rising fuel costs for Americans.
The situation reflects a balancing act. Trump is trying to maintain pressure on Iran while avoiding actions that could destabilize global energy markets or drag the United States into a deeper conflict. Israel’s independent military decisions complicate that strategy, creating friction between two closely aligned governments.
As the war continues, that tension is becoming more visible. Trump’s public warning to Netanyahu signals that even close allies are not fully aligned on how far the conflict should go, especially when economic consequences begin to hit American consumers.
