Will Merrow
The United States carried out a large bombing raid of the island on March 13, hitting more than ninety Iranian military targets, including missile and naval mine storage facilities. U.S. President Donald Trump said on social media that the attack “obliterated” every military target on the island but he chose not to “wipe out” oil infrastructure there. However, he warned he would “immediately reconsider” that decision if Iran continues to disrupt global shipping in the Strait of Hormuz—the choke point for nearly one-fifth of the world’s oil and natural gas supply.
Trump has indicated that his administration is considering seizing the island, telling the Financial Times on March 29 that “Maybe we take Kharg Island, maybe we don’t. We have a lot of options.” While the United States has been ramping up its military presence in the Middle East, experts say an attack or invasion of Kharg Island could further drive up global oil prices by curbing Iran’s oil exports, provoke retaliation, and endanger the lives of U.S. military personnel who could be deployed to the island.
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