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How risky would a US assault on Iran’s Kharg Island be — and why might Trump consider it
Kharg Island handles about 90% of Iran’s crude exports, with 18 million barrels stored, making it a key target for US forces amid rising Gulf tensions.
- On Friday, thousands of US Marines arrived in the Middle East as President Donald Trump's deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz expires, with reports suggesting a potential operation against Kharg Island.
- Iran has fortified Kharg Island, which handles around 90 percent of its crude exports, with additional military personnel and shoulder-fired MANPADs in recent weeks to prepare for a potential US operation.
- Former NATO supreme allied commander James Stavridis cautioned Tuesday that Marines would need "ironclad air and sea superiority over at least 100 miles around the island" before any ground operation through the Strait of Hormuz.
- Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf warned Wednesday that "Iran's enemies, with the support of one of the regional countries" face relentless attacks if they occupy Iranian islands, while Gulf allies privately urge against the operation.
- Experts, including former Council on Foreign Relations president Richard Haass, warn that seizing Kharg would likely "further erode US missile stockpiles," and analysts question whether the operation provides sufficient leverage to reopen the strategic strait.
21 Articles
21 Articles
Will the U.S. Seize Kharg Island?
If Trump’s push for a negotiated end to the war with Iran fails, there are few options that deliver immediate economic impact without expanding the fight inland. Seizing Kharg Island, Iran’s main offshore oil export terminal, is one of them. Trump has now paused strikes on Iran’s energy infrastructure twice, to April 6, claiming it is intended as a window for negotiations that Tehran requested. He’s afraid to give away this leverage right now. A…
Ghost of Gallipoli: Why Trump risks walking into Iran's trap in Kharg Island
As Trump eyes a ground offensive in Iran's Kharg Island to force it to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a lesson learnt by Britain 100 years back should not be overlooked. In 1915-16, Britain undertook an operation, known as the Battle of Gallipoli, to control a key waterway and knock out the Ottoman Empire. It failed miserably and suffered 2,50,000 casualties.
Drones and mines: taking Kharg Island would pose risks for US troops
US President Donald Trump has been weighing whether to use ground forces to seize Iran’s strategic oil hub of Kharg Island, an operation analysts say could be achieved quickly, but leave US troops in great peril and prolong rather than shorten the war. Where is Kharg Island and why is it important? Kharg Island sits 16 milesfrom Iran’s coast at the northern end of the Gulf, about 300 miles northwest of the Strait of Hormuz. It lies in waters dee…
Al-Monitor
The Straits TimesExplainer-Drones and mines: taking Kharg Island would pose risks for US troops
By David BrunnstromWASHINGTON, March 26 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump has been weighing whether to use ground forces to seize Iran's strategic oil hub of Kharg Island, an operation analysts say could be achieved quickly, but leave U.S. troops in great peril and prolong rather than shorten the war.WHERE IS KHARG ISLAND AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?
The US is bringing paratroopers and marines together. The goal could be the conquest of Iranian islands such as Kharg. But such a deployment would be risky.
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