The widening attacks on energy infrastructure in the Middle East have created a rift between the White House and its Gulf allies while increasing fears of a global recession.
Israel’s targeting of the South Pars gas field in Iran on Wednesday set off a wave of Iranian reprisals that caused extensive damage to the world’s largest liquefied natural gas exporting facility in Qatar. It’s a major escalation in the war and one that energy industry observers have most feared because the destruction of oil and gas facilities could take years to repair and turbocharge the economic disruption already ensnaring the globe.
President Donald Trump quickly distanced his administration from the attack, and a person familiar with the White House’s thinking, granted anonymity to discuss private discussion, said the strike unsettled the administration.
“Israelis have been very reckless,” the person said, adding that Qatar reached out to U.S. officials to say Israel’s targeting of energy infrastructure needs to be stopped. “Lots of frustration with them.”
