Did Trump know or not? ‘Knew nothing’ vs ‘informed’ claims on Iran gas field strike expose US-Israel fault lines

A member of the Iranian community in Australia holds a placard in support of US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a rally following US and Israeli attacks on Iran sparking the Middle East war, in Sydney on March 14, 2026. (Photo by Saeed KHAN / AFP)

Israeli PM Netanyahu denied claims Israel drew the US into its conflict with Iran, calling them “ridiculous.” Trump said Israel acted alone in striking Iran’s South Pars gas field, with no US involvement. Tensions remain high amid rising casualties.

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday rejected claims that Israel had drawn the United States into its conflict with Iran, calling such assertions “fake news” and “ridiculous,” while stressing that US President Donald Trump acts independently. His remarks came amid conflicting accounts over Israel’s recent strike on Iran’s South Pars gas field, with Trump insisting Washington had no prior knowledge of the attack even as Israeli officials indicated the US had been informed in advance.

“This canard that we dragged the United States into this is not just a canard it’s ridiculous. Does anyone really think that someone can tell President (Donald) Trump what to do? Come on,” Netanyahu said, adding that Trump “always makes his decisions on what he thinks is good for America.”

According to sources cited by the Associated Press, Israel carried out the strike on Wednesday after giving prior intimation to US officials, though it remains unclear whether Washington supported the move targeting a key component of Iran’s energy infrastructure.

Trump, however, distanced the United States from the operation. In a social media post late Wednesday, he said Israel acted alone and that neither the US nor Qatar had any involvement or prior knowledge of the strike. “Israel, out of anger for what has taken place in the Middle East, has violently lashed out at a major facility known as South Pars Gas Field in Iran. A relatively small section of the whole has been hit. The United States knew nothing about this particular attack, and the country of Qatar was in no way, shape, or form, involved with it, nor did it have any idea that it was going to happen,” Trump wrote.

While indicating that Israel would refrain from further strikes on the South Pars facility for now, Trump warned of a strong American response if Iran escalates by targeting Qatar’s energy assets. He said Washington could act even without Israel’s involvement, despite his reluctance to authorise large-scale destruction due to its long-term consequences.

The developments come as the conflict continues to escalate, with official figures reporting at least 1,300 deaths in Iran, more than 960 in Lebanon, and 14 in Israel, while the US military has confirmed 13 American service members killed and around 200 wounded.