US President Donald Trump said US forces carried out attacks on military targets on Kharg Island, Iran’s main oil export terminal in the Persian Gulf, and warned that the island’s oil infrastructure could also be targeted if Iran disrupts shipping in the region.
Trump announced that the operation was a success and that the US military destroyed all military targets on Kharg Island, in a post on Truth Social.
“Moments ago, under my direction, US Central Command executed one of the most powerful bombing raids in the history of the Middle East, completely destroying all military targets on Iran’s crown jewel, Kharg Island,” Trump wrote.
“Our weapons are the most powerful and sophisticated the world has ever known but, for reasons of decency, I have decided not to destroy the island’s oil infrastructure,” he added.
He warned that the decision could change if the region’s shipping routes were threatened.
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“If Iran, or anyone else, does anything to interfere with the free and safe passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz, I will immediately reconsider this decision,” Trump said.
The US president also said that Iran could not defend itself from US military power.
“Iran has no capacity to defend anything we want to attack; there is nothing they can do about it.
“Iran will never have a nuclear weapon, nor will it have the ability to threaten the United States of America, the Middle East or the world,” he wrote.
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Where is Kharg Island and why is it important?
Kharg Island is located about 15 nautical miles off the southern coast of Iran in the Persian Gulf. The small island is about five miles long and serves as the main terminal for Iran’s crude oil exports.
Large tankers load crude oil on the island before traveling through the Strait of Hormuz to global markets, including China, one of the biggest buyers of Iranian oil.
Because most of Iran’s oil exports pass through the island, any disruption there could significantly affect the country’s economy and global oil supplies.
Trump also said Iran had little ability to defend itself against US attacks.
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“Iran’s military and everyone else involved with this terrorist regime would do well to lay down their arms and save what is left of their country,” he wrote.
The attack came as tensions rose in the Gulf after Iran attacked ships in the Strait of Hormuz, a key global shipping route through which about a fifth of the world’s oil supply passes.
Trump said the United States could also soon begin escorting oil tankers in the area. “It will happen soon,” he told reporters traveling with him before boarding Air Force One.
The United States is also sending more forces to the region, including the amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli (LHA-7) and around 2,500 Marines, according to US officials cited by Reuters.
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The move comes as the conflict involving Iran and its regional allies has spread to parts of the Middle East, with missile and drone attacks reported in several countries and thousands of people killed or displaced, according to agency reports.
Kharg Island ‘not high on list’
On Thursday, President Trump rejected questions about the possibility of the United States seizing Kharg Island.
In an interview with Fox News radio, Trump was asked if he had any plans to take the island given its vital role in Iranian oil exports.
“It’s not high on the list,” Trump said. “It’s one of many different things and I can change my mind in seconds.”
The question seemed to bother Trump, scolded Fox journalist Brian Kilmeade.
“Who would ask a question like that and what fool would answer it?” said the president. “Say I was going to do it or let’s say I wasn’t going to do it, why would I tell you?”
Why Kharg Island was attacked
Kharg Island is Iran’s main oil export terminal, located in the Persian Gulf about 15 nautical miles off the country’s coast. About 90% of Iran’s crude exports pass through the island before tankers travel through the Strait of Hormuz to global markets. Because it is critical to Iran’s trade and oil revenues, the island is seen as a strategic target during tensions in the region.
Trump said U.S. forces attacked military targets on the island but left oil facilities intact, warning they could be attacked if Iran interferes with shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
(With contributions from agencies)
