Trump warns Iran: no Israeli strikes on South Pars unless Qatar is hit

US President Donald Trump on March 19 said Israel would halt further strikes on Iran’s key South Pars gas field, while issuing a stark warning to Tehran against targeting energy facilities in Qatar and other Gulf nations amid escalating hostilities.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said Israel had struck only a “relatively small section” of the massive South Pars gas field, describing the attack as an independent Israeli operation. He emphasized that neither the United States nor Qatar had prior knowledge of the strike.

His remarks followed heightened tensions after Iran threatened retaliatory attacks across the Gulf, warning that multiple energy installations in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar could be targeted.

Within hours, Iran launched missile strikes on Ras Laffan Industrial City—Qatar’s primary liquefied natural gas hub—according to Qatari authorities, marking a sharp escalation in the conflict and raising concerns over regional energy security.

Trump criticized Tehran’s response as unjustified and cautioned against further escalation. He warned that any future Iranian attack on Qatar’s energy infrastructure would trigger overwhelming retaliation, including the potential destruction of the entire South Pars gas field.

“No more attacks will be made by Israel on this extremely important facility unless Iran unwisely targets Qatar,” Trump said, adding that the US would respond with unprecedented force if such a scenario unfolds.

The conflict, ongoing since February 28, has seen repeated strikes and counterstrikes between Israel, the US and Iran, including attacks on critical oil and gas infrastructure. The situation has also rattled global energy markets, particularly after disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for nearly 20% of the world’s oil and LNG shipments.