The United States has carried out a major airstrike on Iran’s Kharg Island, according to US President Donald Trump, who said the operation targeted military facilities on the strategically vital island.
In a post on social media early Saturday, Trump stated that US Central Command conducted one of the most powerful bombing operations in the history of the Middle East. He claimed that every military target on Kharg Island had been completely destroyed.
However, Trump said the United States had decided—for now—not to destroy the island’s oil infrastructure. He warned that the decision could change if Iran or any other actor interferes with the free and safe movement of ships through the Strait of Hormuz.
“We have chosen not to destroy the oil facilities on the island at this time,” Trump said. “But if Iran or anyone else disrupts shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, I will immediately reconsider that decision.”
The statement comes amid escalating tensions in the ongoing conflict between Iran and Israel, where both Washington and Tel Aviv had previously been cautious about directly targeting Kharg Island. Officials in the Trump administration had earlier indicated that seizing or neutralizing the island was under consideration.
Located about 30 kilometers off Iran’s mainland in the Persian Gulf, Kharg Island is the country’s most important oil export hub. According to data cited by financial services firm JPMorgan Chase, nearly 90 percent of Iran’s crude oil exports pass through facilities on the island.
Experts warn that any attack on the island could have far-reaching consequences for global energy markets. The island, roughly one-third the size of Manhattan, plays a central role in Iran’s oil trade.
Meanwhile, maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has reportedly been severely disrupted following Iranian attacks. The narrow waterway is one of the world’s most critical energy chokepoints, with about one-fifth of global crude oil and liquefied natural gas shipments passing through it.
Rising oil prices have become a growing challenge for the US administration. Trump said the US Navy would soon begin escorting oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz to ensure safe passage and restore normal energy exports from the region.
Kharg Island rose to prominence in the 1960s and 1970s as Iran expanded its oil industry. At the time, many coastal areas in the country lacked sufficient depth to accommodate supertankers, making the island the primary hub for Iran’s crude oil shipments.
