Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina urged Israel not to target Iran’s oil infrastructure in a Monday social media post.
Iran responded to Operation Epic Fury by firing hundreds of ballistic missiles and drones at targets in Israel, Qatar, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. Graham, who has been criticized for his hawkish foreign policy, praised Israel’s history as an American ally before making the request in the post on X. (RELATED: ‘A Disruption On The Way To A Much Better Place’: Energy Secretary Dismisses ‘Fiction’ About Fuel Shortages, Prices)
“Our allies in Israel have shown amazing capability when it comes to collapsing the murderous regime in Iran. America is most appreciative,” Graham posted. “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 that regard, please be cautious about what targets you select.”
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 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,” Graham continued. “The oil economy of Iran will be essential to that endeavor.”
Tankers stopped transiting the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway that separates the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, after Iran began launching missile and drone strikes after the United States and Israel commenced Operation Epic Fury.
Oil prices climbed since President Donald Trump announced Operation Epic Fury in a video posted on Truth Social Feb. 28, with WTI Futures Crude Oil closing at $90.90 Friday, up over $20 from the market’s close on Feb. 27, the day before the strikes, according to Investing.com. Prices hit as high as $120 in overnight trading Monday before settling near $100 a barrel, The Associated Press reported.
Republican Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana previously ribbed Graham over his hawkishness in his book, “How to Test Negative for Stupid: And Why Washington Never Will,” released in January. “If you want to stump Lindsey, just ask him to name a country he wouldn’t bomb,” Kennedy wrote.
Republican Tennessee Rep. Tim Burchett slammed comments Graham made regarding Lebanon during a Wednesday interview with a reporter. “Lindsey hasn’t seen a fist fight he hasn’t wanted to turn into a bombing raid, so I just take it with a grain of salt,” Burchett said.
Graham called on the Trump administration to join Israel in bombing radical Islamic terrorist groups in Lebanon, while also being a long-time proponent of military action against Iran, including previously suggesting Iranian oil refineries be targeted if American hostages taken by the radical Islamic terrorist group Hamas during its Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel were harmed.
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