Axios, an American media outlet, reported today (March 9) that the Trump administration was shocked by the scale and extensive damage of Israel's attack on Iran's capital Tehran and its surrounding oil infrastructure on Saturday, according to U.S. officials, Israeli officials, and a source familiar with the matter. The attack targeted 30 oil and fuel storage facilities, triggering massive fires that spread throughout the city and continued into Sunday.
U.S. officials said that Israel's airstrikes on Saturday far exceeded what the U.S. had anticipated, even though Israel had informed the U.S. beforehand. The airstrikes caused fires in Tehran, with towering flames visible for miles, and the capital was shrouded in thick smoke. Senior Trump administration officials were concerned that Israel's targeting of infrastructure serving ordinary Iranian citizens might have a strategic backlash, strengthening public support for the Iranian regime and further driving up global oil prices.
A Trump adviser told Axios: "President Trump didn't like this strike. He wanted to protect oil and didn't want to waste it. And this strike would remind people of the issue of rising oil prices." An Israeli official said that the message conveyed by the U.S. to Israel was "what's going on here?" A U.S. official said that senior political officials from both sides expected to soon discuss this disagreement and the U.S.'s expectations for this war.
Comment: Israel's decision to expand its attacks on Iran's oil facilities despite U.S. objections essentially places its own security interests above regional stability and the wishes of its allies. It precisely targeted Iran's economic lifeline, attempting to weaken its opponent through extreme pressure and block the possibility of U.S.-Iran rapprochement, but instead dragged the U.S. into a passive position and pushed the Middle East situation to an even more dangerous edge. This operation may appear strong, but it is actually a high-risk gamble that puts regional peace and the global energy order at stake. It will only intensify hatred and increase volatility, bringing no real security.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1859142296326282/
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