Trump threatens Kharg Island seizure as Iran fighting escalates
The Iranian oil export hub is again in focus after Trump said a ceasefire was over and warned of more US strikes.
By James Whitfield · Staff Writer
3 min read
US President Donald Trump said the United States may seize Iran’s Kharg Island, the country’s main oil export hub, after declaring an interim ceasefire with Iran over. Al Jazeera and The Associated Press reported that the remarks came as Trump warned of more US strikes following attacks on three tankers in the Strait of Hormuz.
Speaking Wednesday on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Turkiye, Trump told reporters, “I give them a little warning. We’re going to hit them hard tonight,” according to Al Jazeera and AP. US Central Command said more than 60 boats used by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had been hit, while Trump said the US had “knocked out 28 boats last night” and would probably strike more later.
Trump also confirmed that Kharg Island had been attacked, Al Jazeera and AP reported. He said the island’s oil facilities were not the target, telling reporters: “We attacked Kharg Island last night. I said, don’t touch the oil. Because maybe we’ll take over Kharg Island, and we may take over Kharg Island. There’s not a thing they can do about it.”
Why Kharg Island matters
Kharg Island lies in the Gulf about 55km, or 34 miles, off Iran’s coast in Bushehr province, according to Al Jazeera and AP. The island is small — about eight kilometres long and 4-5km wide — but its deep surrounding waters allow large tankers to load crude for export.
Al Jazeera and AP reported that Kharg handles about 90 percent of Iran’s crude exports, or about 950 million barrels a year. Oil from offshore fields including Aboozar, Forouzan and Dorood is moved to Kharg before being sent through underwater pipelines to global markets, with China described as the largest buyer.
Access to the island is tightly controlled by the IRGC, and Iranians widely refer to it as the “Forbidden Island,” according to Al Jazeera and AP. Because so much of Iran’s export capacity runs through Kharg, a serious disruption there would sharply limit Tehran’s ability to sell oil abroad.
A long-running pressure point
Kharg has been a military target before. Al Jazeera and AP reported that Iraq repeatedly bombed the island during the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s, temporarily damaging its oil terminal as part of an effort to cut into Iran’s war financing.
Trump has raised Kharg repeatedly during the current conflict. In March, he said US forces had struck military facilities on the island while avoiding its oil infrastructure, writing on Truth Social that he had chosen not to destroy the oil facilities but would reconsider if Iran or others interfered with shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, according to Al Jazeera and AP.
Last month, Trump described taking Kharg as his preferred option while questioning whether the United States had “the stomach for it,” Al Jazeera and AP reported. He also said he remained reluctant to send ground forces into Iran.
Oil markets react
Al Jazeera and AP reported that Brent crude rose more than 5 percent Wednesday after Trump’s comments, as traders weighed the risk of further disruption to oil supplies and shipping. Before the war, about 20 percent of globally traded oil and natural gas passed through the Strait of Hormuz, according to the report.
Trump acknowledged that US attacks on Iran affect oil prices, saying, “Anytime we hit Iran, oil goes up a little bit,” Al Jazeera and AP reported. His latest comments put Kharg Island back at the center of concerns over the war’s effect on energy markets.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.