Israel‘s recent strikes on Iranian fuel depots went far beyond what the US was expecting, sparking the first major disagreement between the two allies. The US is genuinely concerned that these extensive strikes on infrastructure, which often serves ordinary Iranians, could backfire strategically. Hitting things that affect regular people could rally Iranian society behind the current regime, and there is also the risk of driving up oil prices.
The Israeli air force launched strikes on Saturday, hitting 30 Iranian fuel depots. This created massive fires in Tehran, with flames visible for miles and heavy smoke covering the capital. The IDF put out a statement claiming these fuel depots “are used by the Iranian regime to supply fuel to different consumers including its military organs.” An Israeli military official added that the strikes were partly meant to send Iran a message to stop targeting Israeli civilian infrastructure.
