Are US and Israel aligned on Iran war? Deciphering Trump’s post after gas field attacks

Are US and Israel aligned on Iran war? Deciphering Trump’s post after gas field attacks

Donald Trump, the U.S. president, responded with a pointed declaration following the strikes on a key gas field shared by Iran and Qatar. Israel’s military action targeted Iran’s South Pars, part of the globe’s largest natural gas reserve, while Tehran retaliated by attacking a Qatari energy facility. The strikes triggered a rise in energy costs, stoking Trump’s frustration. On Truth Social, Trump reiterated his criticism of Iran, asserting he was unaware of Israel’s plans for the assault. This raises questions about the strategic partnership between the U.S. and Israel, and whether their objectives in the conflict are converging or diverging.

Trump’s Statement and the Claims of Coordination

Trump’s assertion that the U.S. “knew nothing about this particular attack” contrasts with Israeli media reports. The centrist newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth noted that the strike was “co-ordinated in advance with the United States and… agreed upon between Prime Minister [Benjamin] Netanyahu and U.S. President Trump.” A right-wing outlet, Israel Hayom, added that Trump had “discussed the upcoming Israeli strike in [Iran’s coastal city of] Asaluyeh” with leaders from three Persian Gulf nations over the weekend. These accounts challenge Trump’s claim, leaving the truth ambiguous.

“Out of anger,” he says, “Israel violently lashed out” against the gas field. This phrasing mirrors descriptions of Iran’s more aggressive responses, implying the Israeli operation might have been impulsive rather than calculated. Could Trump be suggesting Israel acted without careful planning?

Trump’s emphasis on capitalization adds to the ambiguity, but he only employs it once in this lengthy post. “NO MORE ATTACKS WILL BE MADE BY ISRAEL pertaining to this extremely important and valuable South Pars Field,” he writes, “unless Iran unwisely decides to attack a very innocent, in this case Qatar.” This statement hints at a possible shift in strategy, or a subtle challenge to Netanyahu’s approach.

Alignment or Dissonance?

Israeli officials stress that the U.S. and Israel remain in agreement, even as their tactics differ. Netanyahu, in a press conference on Thursday, echoed Trump’s remarks, claiming Israel had “acted alone” in the strike and that Trump had requested a pause in similar operations. He framed their relationship as one of unity, stating, “I don’t think any two leaders have been as coordinated as President Trump and I. He’s the leader. I’m, you know, his ally.”

“We are very much aligned on most or all of our goals regarding the Islamic regime in Iran, the IRGC [Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps], their ballistic and nuclear programmes,” said Alex Gandler, the Israeli embassy’s London spokesman. “We want the same thing.”

Despite shared objectives, Israel’s focus on regime change appears more pronounced. Officials in Israeli media described the South Pars attack as part of a broader campaign to weaken Iran’s political grip. “The gas supply to citizens is being shut off, and that will bring the uprising closer,” one official told Yedioth Ahronoth’s Yossi Yehoshua. Netanyahu has long advocated for dismantling the Islamic regime, a goal he and many Israelis view as essential to securing the Jewish state. While the U.S. targets Iran’s military infrastructure, Israel has prioritized assassinations of key figures and strikes against state apparatuses, including paramilitary Basij units that suppress dissent.