Many United States officials were none too pleased with recent Israeli military strikes on Iranian oil facilities. A video of the strikes went viral on social media over the weekend, showing massive fires in Tehran, Iran, after the operation. Thirty oil facilities were struck in the airstrikes by Israel on Saturday.
The magnitude of the Israeli operation reportedly caught the U.S. off guard. Trump administration officials and other Republicans who have supported the joint military strikes against Iran were dismayed by the attacks, including Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC). An ardent supporter of military action against Iran, Graham criticized Israel in a social media post on Sunday regarding the strikes on the oil facilities.
Our allies in Israel have shown amazing capability when it comes to collapsing the murderous regime in Iran. America is most appreciative.
However, there will be a day soon that the Iranian people will be in charge of their own fate, not the murderous ayatollah’s regime.
In…
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) March 9, 2026
“Our allies in Israel have shown amazing capability when it comes to collapsing the murderous regime in Iran,” Graham said in a post. “America is most appreciative.”
Graham mentioned that an objective of the strikes was to “liberate” Iranians from the oppression of the current government, and continuing to destroy the country’s oil infrastructure would make that difficult to do in the future. The senator mentioned he would like to see Iranians have the opportunity for a “new and better life” after the conflict.
“However, there will be a day soon that the Iranian people will be in charge of their own fate, not the murderous ayatollah’s regime,” Graham said.
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“In that regard, please be cautious about what targets you select,” he added. “Our goal is to liberate the Iranian people in a fashion that does not cripple their chance to start a new and better life when this regime collapses. The oil economy of Iran will be essential to that endeavor.”
Trump administration officials shared Graham’s concerns, according to an Axios report.
“The president doesn’t like the attack,” an unnamed Trump adviser told the outlet. “He wants to save the oil. He doesn’t want to burn it. And it reminds people of higher gas prices.”