United States Angered at Israel Following Strikes on Iranian Fuel Depots, Calls Action Beyond Scope of Planning
Relations between the United States and Israel are reportedly beginning to fracture following Tel Aviv’s aerial strikes targeting dozens of fuel depots throughout Iran. The massive assault has triggered the first major rift between the two allies since they launched military action against the Islamic Republic eight days prior, with Washington feeling betrayed by the scope of Israel’s operation, which significantly exceeded initial coordination agreements.
Approximately 30 fuel depots across Iran, including facilities in the capital Tehran, were struck on Saturday, causing severe fires and thick smoke plumes visible from miles away. US officials familiar with the matter stated that the scale of the strikes far exceeded what Washington had anticipated after Israeli officials provided initial notification to the United States.
A US official disclosed that senior American military leaders were extremely surprised by the extent of the offensive. One senior US official explicitly stated that Washington did not view the destruction of civilian infrastructure as a sound strategic decision.
“The White House is reportedly extremely concerned that attacks on infrastructure utilised by Iranian civilians will backfire strategically. The US cautioned that Israel’s actions could potentially unite Iranian public opinion in support of their government whilst placing severe pressure on global energy prices,” the official said, according to Al Mayadeen.
The Israeli military defended itself through an official statement asserting that the fuel depots were used by the Iranian government to supply fuel to various sectors, including military units. However, US concerns proved justified by panic across global energy markets triggered by images of severely burning depots.
An adviser to President Donald Trump explicitly told Axios that the US President strongly “opposed strikes that destroy oil infrastructure”. He stressed that Trump sought to “avoid any actions that could drive fuel prices even higher”.
The impact of US-Israeli tensions was immediately felt in commodity markets, where crude oil prices surged more than 20% during Monday morning trading to their highest level since 2022. Brent crude jumped USD 18.35 to USD 111.04 per barrel, whilst WTI rose USD 20.34 to USD 111.24 per barrel.
The price surge was driven by concerns over supply disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, the world’s energy lifeline, which is now being avoided by tanker vessels. Economists warned that although Saudi Arabia is attempting to increase shipments through the Red Sea, the volume would be insufficient to offset lost supplies from the Strait of Hormuz should the conflict intensify due to Israel’s unilateral actions.
Negative sentiment from the conflict also spread to global equity markets, with Japan’s Nikkei index plummeting 6.2% and South Korea’s market falling 7.3%. In the United States, S&P 500 and Nasdaq futures indices also turned red amid US dollar strength resulting from escalating geopolitical uncertainty.