Trump, Netanyahu Show First Major Disagreement Over Israeli Gas Field Strike

President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu have publicly disagreed over Israel's attack on Iran's largest gas field, marking their first significant split during the 20-day conflict. Trump said he told Netanyahu not to strike the facility, while the Israeli leader emphasized they remain coordinated allies.

WASHINGTON — A public disagreement between President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over Israel’s strike on Iran’s largest gas facility has highlighted the first major rift between the allies since their 20-day military campaign against Iran began.

Israel’s assault on the South Pars gas facility triggered Iranian counterstrikes against energy infrastructure across the Middle East. These retaliatory attacks drove global energy costs higher and prompted Gulf nation allies to urge Trump to restrain Netanyahu’s actions.

The consequences of this strike have left both Trump and Netanyahu addressing concerns about whether their war coordination remains seamless after what started as a joint offensive against their shared regional adversary. Any visible gap between the leaders could influence how the conflict unfolds and ultimately concludes.

Speaking to reporters during an Oval Office session with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, Trump stated he neither supported nor authorized Israel’s strike on the massive gas field that serves as Iran’s energy backbone.

“I told him, ‘Don’t do that,'” Trump said regarding Netanyahu’s strike decision. “We get along great. It’s coordinated, but on occasion he’ll do something. And if I don’t like it — and so we’re not doing that anymore.”

Netanyahu acknowledged that Israel “acted alone” and confirmed he has accepted Trump’s request to halt additional attacks on Iran’s major gas infrastructure. The prime minister worked to minimize any perceived disagreement with Trump.

“It’s been said that for 40 years I’ve been saying that Iran is a danger to Israel and a danger to the world. That is true,” Netanyahu stated during a Jerusalem press briefing. “You know who else said that? President Trump.”

Netanyahu further emphasized: “Look, I don’t think any two leaders have been as coordinated as President Trump and I. He’s the leader. I’m his ally. America is the leader.”

Trump’s initial public response to Wednesday’s Iranian gas field attack came hours later through a heated social media message where he also stated the U.S. “knew nothing” about the operation beforehand.

However, two sources familiar with the situation who requested anonymity said the U.S. received advance notice of Israel’s intentions. One source indicated Israel coordinates its target selection with American officials.

Senior U.S. administration officials argued Thursday that Trump remains aligned with Netanyahu while prioritizing what he considers America’s national security interests in his Iran approach.

American air operations have concentrated on destroying Iran’s missile capabilities, further damaging its struggling nuclear infrastructure, and eliminating its naval forces. Israel has meanwhile conducted multiple high-profile assassinations aimed at overthrowing the Islamic leadership that has governed since 1979.

The prime minister has characterized this period as a chance to create a new Middle Eastern dynamic with Tehran under more moderate leadership that wouldn’t threaten Israel.

Netanyahu benefits from Israeli public opinion that strongly backs the war compared to American sentiment. This support provides him political freedom to pursue extended operations that could decisively weaken Iran’s religious government.

While Trump has provided various explanations for the conflict, he has consistently stated that preventing Iran from “never having a nuclear weapon” remains his main goal.

“The objectives that have been laid out by the president are different from the objectives that have been laid out by the Israeli government,” Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard told House intelligence committee members Thursday when questioned about the White House stance on the gas field attack.

Unlike Netanyahu, Trump has become less enthusiastic about removing Iran’s religious leadership and establishing more moderate governance.

This represents a notable shift for the president from the conflict’s beginning, when he confidently assured Iranians they would soon have opportunities to end 47 years of clerical control.

During a Fox News Radio interview last week, Trump expressed much more caution about prospects for government opponents and voiced concerns about the paramilitary Basij force, which has been crucial in suppressing recent nationwide demonstrations and maintaining its threatening presence in Iran.

“So, I really think that’s a big hurdle to climb for people that don’t have weapons. I think it’s a very big hurdle,” Trump said.

When host Brian Kilmeade asked if he supported Netanyahu’s appeals for Iranians to reclaim their nation, Trump indicated he doubted their readiness for uprising. “I would think that Bibi would understand that too,” Trump added.

Throughout Trump’s five White House years, Netanyahu has been among his most reliable international allies. The Israeli leader consistently praises the Jewish state’s unprecedented White House support.

However, during the past three weeks, Trump and his staff have recognized both nations approach the war with different perspectives. Trump has called these differences understandable.

“You know, they’re there, and we’re very far away,” Trump observed.

Overall, Trump and Netanyahu’s disagreements remain mostly surface-level, according to Joel Rubin, a former Obama administration State Department official.

The Israeli prime minister has spent “many decades” seeking American backing for his goal of launching devastating strikes against Iran. Trump, Rubin noted, represents “the first president to say, ‘Go for it!'”

Nevertheless, extended warfare could increase Trump’s political pressures and deepen divisions, Rubin warned.

“When the war ends it’s likely gonna be Trump’s call and I do think that we’re probably gonna have a dynamic where, in the future, they’ll have to figure out how to be in sync in terms of identifying and defining when it’s time to end the military operation,” Rubin said regarding Trump and Netanyahu. “And Israel does not have the same focus on global oil markets as the U.S., and the repercussions.”