US President Donald Trump said Friday that military targets on Iran’s Kharg Island had been “totally obliterated” and warned he could still target the island’s oil infrastructure if shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remains under threat.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said he had chosen not to strike the island’s oil facilities for now, even though Kharg handles nearly all of Iran’s crude exports. But he said that could change immediately if Iran or anyone else interferes with what he called “the free and safe passage of ships” through the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump described Kharg Island as Iran’s “crown jewel” and called the raid one of the most powerful bombing attacks in Middle East history.
Why Kharg Island matters
Kharg Island, located about 30 kilometers (19 miles) off the Iranian mainland, handles roughly 90 percent of Iran’s crude exports, AFP reported, citing a recent JP Morgan note. The island, about one-third the size of Manhattan, could have immediate strategic consequences if directly struck.
“A direct strike would immediately halt the bulk of Iran’s crude exports, likely triggering severe retaliation in the Strait of Hormuz or against regional energy infrastructure,” JP Morgan said.
Trump vows Navy escorts will happen soon
Trump also said the United States was ready and willing to escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz to protect them from Iranian attack, a step other Western countries are also considering.
Asked later when the US Navy would begin escorting tankers, Trump told reporters: “It will happen soon.”
Iran reacts
Iran’s armed forces responded on Saturday by threatening to destroy US-linked oil infrastructure after Trump said American strikes had hit military targets on Kharg Island.
In a statement cited by Iranian media, the military’s Al-Anbiya Central Headquarters said any oil or energy infrastructure belonging to companies cooperating with the United States would be “immediately destroyed” if Iran’s own energy facilities were attacked.
Test for a new leader
The strike came just days after Mojtaba Khamenei reportedly took over as Iran’s new supreme leader, turning the Kharg attack into an early test of his authority.
In a written statement released on Thursday, Khamenei warned of revenge and a widening war, and said the Strait of Hormuz would stay closed until US and Israeli attacks stop. He said Iran would block oil from reaching its enemies and threatened Gulf states hosting US forces.
Earlier on Friday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth cast doubt on Mojtaba Khamenei’s condition. He said US intelligence indicated the new leader had been “wounded and disfigured” in the first wave of strikes and had little real authority, calling him the “so-called, not-so-supreme leader.”