Israel launches fresh attacks on Iran as regional crisis deepens

DOHA/WASHINGTON/JERUSALEM -Israel launched a new wave of attacks on Iran on Friday, intensifying a conflict that has already killed thousands, spread across neighboring countries, and rattled global energy markets.

The latest strikes came a day after U.S. President Donald Trump said he had urged Israel not to repeat attacks on Iranian natural gas infrastructure, warning against further escalation in a war that has increasingly destabilized the Middle East.

In a statement, a spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said the military had begun “a wave of strikes against the infrastructure of the Iranian terror regime in the heart of Tehran,” though no further details were immediately disclosed.

The conflict began after the United States and Israel launched attacks on February 28 following the collapse of talks over Tehran’s nuclear program. Since then, hostilities have widened beyond Iran and Israel, with Gulf states now facing direct fallout from the fighting.

Bahrain, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates reported missile attacks early Friday, following a series of Iranian strikes on regional energy infrastructure that have unsettled global markets.

Energy prices surged on Thursday after Iran responded to an Israeli strike on a major gas field by attacking Qatar’s Ras Laffan Industrial City, one of the world’s most critical liquefied natural gas processing hubs. The facility handles about a fifth of global LNG supply, and damage from the attack could take years to repair.

Saudi Arabia’s main Red Sea port was also struck on Thursday. The port had served as an alternative export route as Iran moved to restrict access through the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway that carries roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply.

Despite the mounting attacks, oil prices fell on Friday after major European nations and Japan signaled readiness to help secure shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and the United States outlined steps to increase oil production.

The attacks on energy infrastructure highlighted Iran’s ability to inflict significant economic damage despite the ongoing U.S.-Israeli military campaign, while also exposing the limits of regional air defense systems in protecting critical assets.

Trump, facing political pressure over rising fuel prices ahead of the November midterm elections, said he had personally urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to strike Iranian energy infrastructure again.

“I told him, ‘Don’t do that,’ and he won’t do that,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Thursday.

Netanyahu later said Israel had acted alone in the bombing of Iran’s South Pars gas field and confirmed that Trump had asked Israel to refrain from similar attacks. He added that while Iran had been “decimated” and no longer possessed the capacity to enrich uranium or manufacture ballistic missiles, any revolution inside the country would require a “ground component,” without elaborating further.

With no end to the conflict in sight and fears of a global oil shock growing, Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Japan issued a joint statement expressing readiness to support efforts to ensure safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz.

The countries also pledged to explore additional measures to stabilize energy markets, including coordination with oil-producing nations to boost output. Still, there was little sign of immediate intervention. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said any role in securing the strait would only be considered after active hostilities had ceased.

The cautious response from Washington’s allies reflects deep skepticism about a war many European leaders say has unclear goals and was not a conflict they sought.

Confusion has also emerged over coordination between the United States and Israel. While Trump said Washington had no prior knowledge of Israel’s bombing of Iran’s South Pars gas field, three Israeli officials said the operation had been conducted in consultation with the United States, though they suggested it was unlikely to be repeated.

U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard told the House intelligence committee that Washington and Tel Aviv were pursuing different objectives in the conflict.

She said the Israeli government was focused on crippling the Iranian leadership, while Trump’s stated goals were to destroy Iran’s ballistic missile launch capability, missile production capacity, and naval strength.

Iran, meanwhile, warned that strikes on its energy facilities had pushed the war into a “new stage.” Iranian military spokesman Ebrahim Zolfaqari said Tehran had begun targeting energy assets linked to the United States and warned that any renewed attacks on Iran’s energy sector would trigger further retaliation against U.S. and allied infrastructure.

QatarEnergy chief executive Saad al-Kaabi told Reuters that the Iranian strike had knocked out about one-sixth of Qatar’s LNG export capacity, estimated at $20 billion annually, and said repairs could take between three and five years.

Israeli media also reported that an Iranian strike hit oil facilities in the port city of Haifa, causing damage but no reported casualties.

As the conflict deepens, concerns are mounting that the war could further destabilize the region and trigger prolonged disruption to global energy supplies.