Tehran has cautioned that it will respond severely if its primary energy hub is targeted.
United States military forces have conducted strikes against defense installations on Iran’s Kharg Island. President Donald Trump has warned that the island’s major oil terminal could face future attacks if Tehran persists in obstructing the Strait of Hormuz.
In response, Iranian officials have pledged to retaliate by targeting US-affiliated oil assets throughout the Persian Gulf should such an escalation occur.
The small island serves as the processing point for approximately 90% of Iran’s crude oil exports. It had remained untouched during the initial two weeks of the conflict between the US, Israel, and Iran, a period that saw global oil prices surge.
On Friday, Trump stated that the US had “totally obliterated every military target in Iran’s crown jewel, Kharg Island.” While the president noted he opted against striking oil infrastructure during this operation, he warned that “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.”
According to US military reports, over 90 targets were struck on Kharg Island, including missile depots, naval mine storage, and other military sites.
Conversely, Iranian state media reported 15 explosions, claiming the strikes targeted an airport control tower, a naval base, air defense systems, and a helicopter hangar, while maintaining that the oil terminal was not damaged.
On Saturday, Trump reiterated his stance, telling NBC News, “we may hit it (Kharg island) a few more times just for fun.”
Key to Iran’s economy
Targeting the oil facilities would mark a significant escalation. Despite its modest size of 20 square kilometers, Kharg Island is vital to the Iranian economy, facilitating nearly all of the nation’s crude exports. With Iran providing roughly 4.5% of the global oil supply, according to Reuters, these strikes threaten to exacerbate the international energy crisis.
Situated on a coral outcrop about 25 kilometers (15 miles) from the mainland, the oil terminal was originally constructed by the American firm Amoco prior to the 1979 Islamic Revolution, which severed ties between the two nations. The site was selected because shallow coastal waters made mainland ports inaccessible to large tankers.
Pipelines transport crude from Iranian oilfields to the island, which is often dubbed the “forbidden island” due to its stringent security measures.
Satellite imagery indicates the terminal has remained operational throughout the conflict, with Iran continuing to export oil to China despite restricting the Strait of Hormuz to other nations.
While Iran’s exports were once 1.5 million barrels per day, deliveries increased significantly leading up to the US-Israeli strikes. Data from trade analyst Kpler indicates that exports rose to over 2 million barrels daily, occasionally reaching 3.7 million barrels. Kpler also reports that the island’s oil storage facility, which has a 30-million-liter capacity, is currently about 60% full.
Tehran warns of retaliation
Following the Friday strikes, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) threatened to set Gulf oil and gas infrastructure “on fire” if Kharg Island’s energy facilities are hit.
On Saturday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told MS Now, “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.”
Is a US ground operation possible?
The attacks on Kharg Island may complicate President Trump’s objectives of installing a pro-US government in Iran to gain control over its oil sector, similar to the strategy employed in Caracas following the abduction of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in early January.
Speculation regarding a potential US ground operation to seize the island’s energy infrastructure has grown, fueled by the deployment of a 2,500-strong US Marine rapid response unit to the Middle East.
When asked by Fox News about the possibility of boots on the ground, the US president described it as “one of so many different things” under consideration, adding, “It’s not high on the list, but it’s one of so many different things, and I can change my mind in seconds.”
Trump first discussed the potential seizure of Kharg Island in 1988, stating, “I’d be harsh on Iran. They’ve been beating us psychologically, making us look like a bunch of fools. One bullet shot at one of our men or ships, and I’d do a number on Kharg Island. I’d go in and take it.”
Military analysts warn that a ground operation would be highly dangerous. Even if US Marines successfully captured the island, maintaining control would be difficult given its flat terrain and proximity to the mainland, which would leave forces vulnerable to Iranian artillery, missiles, and drones.