'Do you think anyone can tell Trump what to do?': Netanyahu says Israel did not 'drag' US into Iran war

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reiterated that Israel independently took military action against Iran, adding that his country has been in close coordination with the US, but denying allegations that Tel Aviv “dragged” Washington into the war.

“Does anyone really think that someone can tell President Trump what to do? Come on. President Trump always makes his decisions on what he thinks is good for America,” Netanyahu said.

The conflict has killed thousands of people, spread to neighbouring nations and hit the global economy since the United States and Israel launched strikes ‌on February 28, after talks about Tehran’s nuclear program failed to yield a deal.

‘Acted alone’

Netanyahu also confirmed that Israel “acted alone” in launching an attack on Iran’s key energy field, South Pars.

“Fact number one: Israel acted alone against the Assaluyeh gas compound. Fact number two: President Trump asked us to hold off on future attacks, and we’re holding off,” he said.

The Israeli leader said that his country is “winning the war”, adding that the conflict might end a “lot faster than people think”.

“We are taking action to destroy the industries that make it possible to build missiles. Iran no longer has the capacity to enrich uranium and manufacture ballistic missiles,” Netanyahu said.

Trump asks Netanyahu not to strike Iran’s energy sites

Trump told Israel not to repeat its attacks on Iranian natural gas infrastructure as tit-for-tat strikes on energy plants sent prices spiraling, ​sharply escalating the US-Israeli war on Iran.

Trump’s comment came as energy prices jumped on Thursday after Iran responded to an Israeli attack on a major gas field by hitting Qatar’s Ras Laffan Industrial City, which processes around a fifth of the world’s liquefied natural gas, causing damage that will take years to repair.

Saudi Arabia’s main port on the Red Sea, where it has been able to divert some exports to avoid Iran’s closure of the Gulf’s exit point, the Strait ​of Hormuz, was also attacked.

Trump, politically ​vulnerable to rising fuel prices among his core voters ahead of November’s midterm elections, has lashed out at allies who have responded cautiously to his demands that ⁠they help secure the Strait of Hormuz, the conduit for around a fifth of the world’s oil.

But he said he had told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to repeat the attack on energy infrastructure.

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

With inputs from agencies