U.S. Urges Israel to Stop Strikes on Iran’s Oil Facilities

According to Axios, the Trump administration on Monday asked United States ally Israel to refrain from further attacks on Iran’s energy infrastructure, particularly oil facilities, according to multiple reports citing sources familiar with the matter.

In a rare move, Washington communicated its request at a senior political level and directly to Israeli Defence Forces Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir. The appeal comes roughly ten days into the joint U.S.-Israeli operations against Iranian targets.

An Israeli official said the United States asked that they be notified in advance of any future strikes on oil facilities in Iran.

According to sources familiar with the discussions, the U.S. administration cited several motivations for its request: strikes on energy infrastructure could harm ordinary Iranian civilians, many of whom are believed to oppose the current regime; U.S. President Donald Trump wants to maintain the possibility of future cooperation with Iran’s oil sector after the war; and such attacks could provoke massive retaliatory strikes on energy facilities across neighboring Gulf states.

One source described attacks on Iran’s energy and oil installations as a “doomsday option,” to be used only if Iran deliberately attacks Gulf oil infrastructure first.

Trump has publicly warned that Tehran would face severe consequences if it harms global oil supplies, saying Iran would be hit “20 times harder” for such actions. Critics argue that striking Iran’s energy infrastructure risks driving oil prices even higher and destabilizing markets.

Some U.S. lawmakers, including Senator Lindsey Graham, who is typically a strong supporter of the conflict, urged Israel to be cautious in selecting targets. Graham suggested preserving Iran’s oil economy could be essential for a post-regime future, while also advocating careful strategic choices.