US report says White House sent ‘WTF’ message to Israel after Iran oil facility strikes
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The White House reacted with a “WTF” message to Israel after its strikes on Iranian oil storage facilities over the weekend, marking the first major disagreement between the allies since the war began on February 28, according to a report by Axios.
The report said Israel informed Washington before launching the attacks, but the strikes went far beyond what US officials expected.
An American official told Axios that the US military was surprised by how wide-ranging the operation was and said they did not think it was a good idea. An Israeli official said the reaction from Washington was simply “WTF”.
Neither the White House nor the Israel Defense Forces has publicly commented on the report.
Israeli forces struck three oil depots and a refinery in and around Tehran, Iran’s capital. The attacks triggered massive fires and killed four people. Videos circulating online showed large fires and thick black smoke spreading across affected areas.
Fuel leaking from one of the depots caught fire, and local accounts described a “river of fire” flowing through nearby streets. Reports also said rainwater mixed with oil and soot fell in the area, prompting warnings for residents to remain indoors amid concerns about possible acid rain.
The strikes have also had economic consequences. Oil prices, already under pressure due to the war and Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, surged sharply after the attacks. Prices crossed the 100-dollar-per-barrel mark for the first time in nearly four years.
On Monday, Brent crude was trading at 107.97 dollars per barrel after rising 16.5 percent from Friday’s closing price of 92.69 dollars. West Texas Intermediate was selling at 106.22 dollars per barrel, about 16.9 percent higher than the previous week’s close.
US officials are concerned that attacks on oil infrastructure could push Iranian citizens to rally against the United States and Israel and could further drive up global oil prices.
Iran has warned that further strikes on its energy infrastructure could prompt similar retaliation and push oil prices to 200 dollars per barrel.