Trump warns allies amid rising gas prices and Middle East tensions

By Ahmet Taş | Wise News Press

WASHINGTON, DC, USA — US President Donald Trump expressed his frustration with allies reluctant to help Washington reopen the Iranian-controlled Strait of Hormuz by force, telling them they must now fend for themselves.

The remarks came as the national average for regular gasoline in the US surpassed the $4 mark for the first time since 2022, and shortly after Iran launched a series of missile attacks across the Middle East in response to recent Israeli strikes.

According to AP, Trump told countries complaining about high fuel prices to "go get your own oil," emphasizing that the US will no longer be there to provide assistance. The US President also noted that allies should purchase jet fuel from the US since they have plenty of it available.

In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump stated:

"You have to learn to fend for yourselves. Just as you were not there for us, the U.S. will no longer be there to help you. Iran has essentially been decimated. The hard part is over. Go get your own oil."

US gas prices hit a four-year high

Trump's comments targeting allies were made on the same day that the average price of gasoline in the US saw a significant spike. According to the American Automobile Association (AAA), the national average for a gallon of regular gasoline currently stands at $4.02. This figure represents an increase of more than $1 compared to the period before February 28.

Drivers in the US were last paying such high prices at the pump four years ago, coinciding with the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Iranian missiles target the Gulf

While these statements were being made, tensions in the Middle East continued to escalate. Early Tuesday, Iran launched missiles across the region in response to new Israeli attacks on the capital, Tehran. This occurred just hours after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that more than half of their military objectives had been achieved.

"We are absolutely past the halfway mark, but I don't want to put a calendar on it," Netanyahu told the US broadcaster Newsmax.

As the Israeli military announced it was responding to the new Iranian missiles, sirens sounded in Jerusalem. Iranian media reported new explosions in Tehran and power outages in some parts of the capital, stating that the attacks hit some "military zones" in central Iran.

The conflict also affected Gulf countries. Debris from missiles destroyed in Dubai injured four people, while an oil tanker caught fire at a port in Kuwait. In Saudi Arabia, officials announced the destruction of eight ballistic missiles just hours after a senior Iranian diplomat called on Riyadh to "expel US forces."

Tehran insists only US forces were targeted

Despite the attacks hitting civilian targets across the region, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi insisted that Tehran's attacks on Gulf states were aimed solely at US forces.

Sharing a photo on X allegedly showing damage to a US aircraft at the Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia, Araghchi stated, "Iran respects the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and considers it a brotherly nation. Our operations target enemy aggressors who respect neither Arabs nor Iranians and fail to provide security."

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