Donald Trump said Friday that US forces have “destroyed” military targets on Iran’s Kharg Island and warned that oil infrastructure there could be next.
“For reasons of decency, I have chosen NOT to erase the island’s oil infrastructure,” Trump wrote on social media. “However, if Iran, or anyone else, were to do anything to interfere with the free and safe passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz, I will immediately reconsider this decision.”
The small island in the Persian Gulf is the main terminal through which Iran’s oil exports pass. Until Friday, the island had been spared from US and Israeli attacks on Iran.
Trump announced the move as he prepared to fly to Florida over the weekend. The president answered questions from journalists traveling with him before boarding Air Force One, but did not mention the latest US military operation against Iran.
Axios reported last week that administration officials were considering taking over the 5-mile coral island.
Experts told The Guardian earlier this week that military action against Kharg Island is likely to increase oil prices, which have already been rising since the war began on February 28.
“It is possible that the $120 a barrel price we saw on Monday could move closer to $150 if Kharg were attacked,” said Neil Quilliam of the Chatham House think tank. “It’s too vital for global energy markets.”
Earlier Friday, a U.S. official told the Associated Press that the U.S. military had ordered 2,500 Marines and an amphibious assault ship to the Middle East.
Marine Expeditionary Units can conduct amphibious landings, but they also specialize in bolstering embassy security, evacuating civilians, and disaster relief. Deployment does not necessarily indicate that a ground operation is imminent or will take place.
Associated Press contributed reporting
