A tiny island off Iran’s coast has become a focal point of the Middle East war.
US forces have struck military facilities on Kharg Island, with President Donald Trump warning that a major oil terminal there might also be attacked if Tehran continues to block the Strait of Hormuz.
The Strikes
According to the US military, more than 90 targets on Kharg Island were hit, including:
Iranian state media reported 15 explosions, with strikes aimed at:
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Air defense systems
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A naval base
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An airport control tower
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A helicopter hangar
The oil terminal remains unaffected, Tehran stressed.
The Threat
On Friday, Trump announced that the US has “totally obliterated every military target in Iran’s crown jewel, Kharg Island.”
He claimed he chose not to target the oil infrastructure this time, but cautioned: “Should Iran, or anyone else, do anything to interfere with the Free and Safe Passage of Ships through the Strait of Hormuz, I will immediately reconsider this decision.”
On Saturday, he reiterated the threat, telling NBC News: “We may hit it a few more times just for fun.”
Why Kharg Matters
Despite being only 20 square kilometers in size, Kharg Island plays a crucial role in the Iranian economy:
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Handles 90% of Iran’s crude exports
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Processes about 4.5% of the world’s oil
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Hosts an oil storage facility with capacity of 30 million liters (currently around 60% full)
The oil terminal sits on a coral outcrop about 25 kilometers from the coast. It was built by American company Amoco before the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Pipelines deliver crude from oilfields across Iran to the island, which is often called the “forbidden island” because of tight security.
Iran’s Warning
Following the attack, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) vowed to set oil and gas infrastructure in the Gulf “on fire” if energy sites on Kharg are struck.
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said: “Our armed forces have already stated that they will retaliate if our oil and energy infrastructure is attacked. They will strike any energy facility in the region that belongs to or is partially owned by an American company.”
Ground Operation?
Rumors have emerged of Washington preparing a ground operation to capture energy infrastructure on the island, fueled by the announcement that a rapid response US marine unit of about 2,500 troops will deploy to the Middle East.
Trump told Fox News that boots on the ground was “one of so many different things” considered.
Military experts warn a ground operation would be extremely risky. Even if US marines captured the island, holding it would be problematic due to its proximity to the mainland and flat surface, offering almost no cover from Iranian drones, missiles, or artillery.
The Bottom Line
Ninety percent of Iran’s oil. Twenty square kilometers. And a president who says he might hit it “just for fun.”
Kharg Island is small, but its role in the global energy market is enormous. If the oil terminal goes up, so do priceseverywhere.
