ISTANBUL

The Trump administration asked Israel to refrain from additional strikes on Iranian energy facilities, particularly oil infrastructure, Axios reported Tuesday, citing three sources familiar with the matter.

The messages were conveyed at a senior political level and to the Israeli army's Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, according to an Israeli official.

Washington said the strikes hurt ordinary Iranians, many of whom they think oppose the government in Tehran. Trump hopes to cooperate with Iran's oil sector after the war, and is concerned that attacks on the energy infrastructure could provoke massive Iranian retaliation against Gulf oil facilities.

Trump sees strikes on Iranian energy assets as a "doomsday option," to be conducted only if Iran first targets Gulf oil infrastructure, a source told Axios.

The request followed a report that said the US is displeased about the scale of Israeli strikes on Iranian fuel depots over the weekend.