US forces launched strikes against military installations on Iran’s Kharg island, a move President Trump said “totally obliterated” all military targets there. As reported by Al Jazeera, the island is home to Iran’s main crude export terminal, handling more than 90 percent of the country’s oil shipments.
Trump also warned that while he chose not to destroy the island’s oil infrastructure for now, he would “immediately reconsider this decision” if Iran or anyone else interferes with the “Free and Safe Passage of Ships through the Strait of Hormuz.” That warning comes as global oil prices have already surged more than 40 percent since the US-Israel war on Iran began three weeks ago.
Iran threatened over the weekend to turn any US-linked oil facilities in the region into “a pile of ashes” if its own oil structures on Kharg island were attacked. The exchange underscored the rising tension around a site that is central to Iran’s energy exports and global supply concerns.
Kharg island has become a dangerous pressure point
US Central Command later confirmed the attack, calling it a “large-scale precision strike” that hit “more than 90 Iranian military targets.” Iranian state media, citing a senior provincial official, said oil exports from the island were continuing normally despite the attack.
Iran’s Fars news agency reported that more than 15 explosions were heard on Kharg island, targeting air defenses, a naval base, and airport facilities. The agency said there was “no damage to oil infrastructure,” though thick smoke was seen rising from the island.
The US is also increasing its military presence in the region. Another 2,500 Marines and the amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli are being sent to the Middle East, with commercial shipping risks already drawing attention around the Strait of Hormuz.
That does not necessarily signal an imminent ground operation, but analysts say the buildup points to a slower, sustained expansion of the US posture in the region. One analyst said Washington is “very slowly increasing its military posture” and is “not intending to wrap things up any time soon.”
The escalation has also raised alarm across the oil and gas industry, with one analyst reporting from Tehran describing the prospect of Iranian retaliation against Gulf oil facilities as a “catastrophic scenario” for the region. Iranian officials have indicated that restraint could end if their own oil infrastructure is hit, while US officials have signaled that Kharg island’s energy facilities remain a possible future target.
Trump also posted on X that Iran would be “wise to lay down their arms, and save what’s left of their country.” He also claimed Iran is “totally defeated and wants a deal – but not a deal that I would accept,” while providing no evidence that Tehran is seeking negotiations, as a war powers resolution was already emerging in Washington.
Iran’s Ministry of Health said at least 1,444 people have been killed and 18,551 injured in US-Israeli attacks on Iran since February 28. Air attacks have struck targets across the country, including Tehran, Karaj, Isfahan, and Tabriz, while Iranian officials have discussed retaliatory strikes using what the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps described as its “most advanced weaponry,” including Heidar missiles, against Israeli territory and US bases in the region.
Published: Mar 14, 2026 03:00 pm