Iran war: Netanyahu denies Israel 'dragged' US into conflict

Leaders of the European Union have called for a moratorium on strikes against energy and water facilities in the Middle East.

In a statement issued late on the first day of a two-day summit in Brussels, the European Council said it "strongly condemns Iran’s indiscriminate military strikes against countries in the region and expresses its solidarity with countries affected."

The EU leaders called for "de-escalation and maximum restraint, the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure and full respect of international law by all parties."

The statement also said the EU "stands firmly and unequivocally" with Cyprus, the closest member state to the conflict. 

A UK base in Cyprus was struck early on in the war by a drone believed to have been fired from Lebanon, where Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah is based.

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said he wants oil and gas to flow through pipelines across the Arabian Peninsula to Israeli ports.

Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, Netanyahu said the alternative route would remove Iran's ability to block oil exports from the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf.

About a fifth of the world's oil passes through the strategically located waterway between Iran and Oman.

"Just have oil pipelines, gas pipelines, going west through the Arabian Peninsula, right up to Israel, right up to our Mediterranean ports, and you've just done away with the choke points forever," the prime minister said. "I see that as a real change that will follow this war."

Netanyahu also said Israel had acted alone in attacking the South Pars gas fields and that US President Donald Trump had asked him "to hold off on future attacks."

The view that the US didn't consult regional allies before going to war with Iran, then Iran's retaliation, is raising doubts in the Gulf states: Did hosting US bases make them safer? Or did it make them a target?

Read more in this report by DW's Kersten Knipp.

Why did the Trump administration choose this moment to enter a new conflict — and when will it end? President Trump says he could stop the fighting "tomorrow," yet fears of escalation suggest otherwise. Tension is rising in Washington as lawmakers seek clarity on the goals and limits of the mission.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave an address on Thursday with heavy doses of praise for US President Donald Trump.

He denied that Israel "dragged" the US into the war, something that has garnered much speculation.

"Does anyone really think someone can tell President Trump what to do?" Netanyahu said before going on to express his high regard for the US president.

He gave remarks on the war, saying, "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."

"We are winning, and Iran is being decimated," he added.

Netanyahu laid out Israel's goals for the conflict:

• Removing the nuclear threat
• Removing the ballistic missile threat
• Removing both of these threats before Iran can secure them underground in bunkers immune to aerial attack
• Creating the conditions for the Iranian people to take control of the country

Without providing details, Netanyahu also hinted that ground operations may be a necessary part of the conflict — something that Trump has been keen to avoid.

The leaders of Denmark and Italy have written a joint letter to the European Union calling on the bloc to prepare for a possible increase in immigration as a consequence of the US-Israeli war in the Middle East.

"We cannot risk a repeat of the refugee and migratory flows to the EU which we saw unfold in 2015-2016," Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni wrote.

During those years, millions of people fled to Europe, with large numbers seeking to escape the civil war in Syria.

The letter was addressed to the heads of the European Commission and European Council, and the leaders of EU countries. It was dated Wednesday, a day before EU leaders met for a summit in Brussels.

The two leaders call for an "emergency brake" mechanism that could be used in the case of large-scale immigration.

They suggested providing aid rather than allowing migration. "We can help more people better and more efficiently by providing support directly to their regions of origin," the letter reads.

The European Commission has said it has not yet observed signs that large movements of people to Europe are underway.

Displaced families in southern Lebanon had hoped to be home in time for Eid al-Fitr, but Israel's offensive against Hezbollah continues. As Ramadan comes to an end, many are still living in cars, tents, or schools.

Members of the International Maritime Organization, the UN's shipping agency, agreed in an emergency session to work toward setting up a safe corridor to evacuate seafarers stuck behind Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.

There was no clear framework for when the corridor would be set up or whether Iran would take part.

IMO Secretary General Arsenio ‌Dominguez ​said some 20,000 seafarers aboard almost 2,000 ships have been affected, with seven deaths associated with 17 vessel incidents.

Iran's ambassador to Germany, Majid Nilitold, told the AFP news agency that his country has sought an explanation from Berlin over whether the US base Ramstein, located in the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate, has been used to attack Iran.

"We have asked them to clarify or explain regarding the role of Ramstein," Nili said, adding that "the role of Ramstein is not officially clear for us."

Nili said he had not received a response from German authorities. 

The ambassador cited UN Resolution 3314, which states that territory placed at the disposal of another state cannot be used by that state for perpetrating an "act of aggression" against a third state. 

"We don't know yet whether Ramstein is in that line or not," Nili said.

The Ramstein Air Base is the US Air Force headquarters for Europe and Africa. It is also a hub for US drone deployments worldwide.

It has not been made public knowledge whether the air base is being used for US operations against Iran, but locals nearby have reported an uptick in air traffic, according to German public broadcaster SWR.

German lawmakers are conscious of the fact that the US-Israeli war against Iran is likely in contravention of international law and that Germany's role may come into question.

Germany's Constitutional Court ruled last year that Berlin has some level of responsibility for actions carried out by the US from its bases in Germany.

David Sirakov, director of the Atlantische Akademie Rheinland-Pfalz, told SWR that while the German government could legally prohibit the use of US bases in Germany for attacks on Iran, politically this is likely out of the question.

To do so, Germany would have to renegotiate existing contracts, which could risk angering the US. Trump has already signaled a waning interest in US military support for NATO allies in Europe, and, with the ongoing war in Ukraine, this is not something Europe can forego.

Even amid rare criticism of the US and Israel over the war, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has said in the Bundestag: "We don't want this war to become a burden on the transatlantic partnership. This partnership is something we want and something we need."

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has approved the sale of $16.46 billion worth of military equipment to Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), two of Washington's closest allies in the Gulf region. Both countries have been targeted by Iranian drone and missile strikes since the US and Israel began strikes on Iran.

Rubio "determined and provided detailed justification that an emergency exists that requires the immediate sale" in order to bypass the otherwise necessary approval from Congress.

The largest share includes missiles, drones, ​radar systems and F-16 munitions and upgrades to be sold to the UAE for $8.4 billion.

Kuwait would receive lower-tier air and missile defense sensor ‌radars for $8 billion.

Beyond the Gulf, the State Department also approved the sale of aircraft and munitions support to Jordan ​for an estimated cost of $70.5 million.

The US arms giants ⁠RTX ​Corporation, Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin Corporation would be the principal contractors in the sale.

Shrapnel from a downed missile has hit an oil refinery in the Israeli city of Haifa, Israeli media reported.

The Jerusalem Post named the Bazan oil refinery as the site that was hit. It said there were no reports of injuries or leaked hazardous materials.

"The barrage to the north did not cause any significant damage to infrastructure sites," Energy Minister Eli Cohen said. Some areas saw their electricity cut, but the connection was being restored.

Smuggling cheap Iranian fuel has long supported livelihoods in Pakistan's southwest. But since the war erupted in Iran, many in Balochistan are left without their only source of income.

The US Defense Department is looking for $200 billion (€173 billion) in extra funding amid the ongoing war against Iran.

The large sum comes on top of the increased funding the department received from President Donald Trump's tax cut bill last year.

Both Reuters and the Associated Press cited sources with knowledge of the pending request. When asked at a press conference, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said, "It takes money to kill bad guys." But he did not confirm the reported amount.

"We're going back to Congress and our folks there to ensure that we’re properly funded," he added.

Lawmakers would need to approve any extra funding, but it is not clear that there is political will to greenlight such a large amount for a largely unpopular war.

Even though Republicans control the House and Senate, there may be enough lawmakers who oppose large-scale government spending.

World Trade Organization chief Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala told reporters in Geneva that the current war in the Middle East is a major threat to global food security.

"Shipping disruptions and higher energy costs reduce the supply and raise the cost of fertilizer," she said as Iran continues to block the Strait of Hormuz to any vessels it deems to be serving Tehran's enemies.

"A prolonged interruption in supply could ripple through food systems, prompting farmers to reduce their use of fertilisers and plant less input-intensive crops," she added, saying that it was  "essential to keep global food trade channels open and predictable, allowing food supplies to flow to where they are most needed."

"In the coming days, we may unsanction the Iranian oil that's on the water," said US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to broadcaster Fox Business. "It's about 140 million barrels."

"In essence, we will be using the Iranian barrels against the Iranians to keep the price down for the next 10 or 14 days as we continue this campaign," he added.

Washington is now seeking to stabilize global energy markets as its war with Iran has sent fuel prices skyrocketing globally. In a separate move to ease prices, the Trump administration has walked back its hard line on buying Russian oil.

Industry reports released on Thursday showed that Brent crude, the type of oil used a benchmark for noting price flucations, was $79 a barrel on February 28. It jumped to $119 earlier in the day then settled at around $112.

The surge follows heavy damage to Qatar's liquefied natural gas facilities after Iranian strikes and continued uncertainty over whether ships will be allowed to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.