The United States carried out a major overnight operation against Iranian military assets on Kharg Island, striking more than 90 targets in a large-scale precision attack.
According to the United States Central Command, the operation targeted naval mine storage sites, missile depots and other military facilities while deliberately avoiding damage to the island’s oil infrastructure.
Kharg Island lies roughly 17 miles off Iran’s north-west coast and is central to the country’s energy exports, handling about 90% of its crude shipments to global markets.
The strikes came after Donald Trump warned that the US could target Iran’s oil facilities if Tehran continued attacks on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
Analysts have cautioned that any direct attack on Kharg Island’s export terminals could send oil prices sharply higher — potentially pushing crude towards $150 per barrel — as it would effectively remove nearly all Iranian crude exports from global supply.
Iran Signals Escalation After US Kharg Island Strike
Iran has reinforced its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz after US President Donald Trump demanded the strategic shipping route be reopened following heavy American strikes on an Iranian island.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) said oil tankers and commercial vessels remain barred from the waterway, warning that any ships attempting to pass through could be targeted.
Iran has warned it could intensify attacks against the United Arab Emirates following US strikes on its key energy hub earlier on Saturday.
The strikes targeted military facilities on Kharg Island, often described as the “crown jewel” of Iran’s oil infrastructure. Officials in Iran said US assets across the Gulf region could be turned into a “pile of ash,” escalating the rhetoric after the attack.
Tehran also declared that ports, docks and military facilities across the Gulf are now considered legitimate targets. Iranian forces have already been striking such locations since the conflict began on 28 February.
The warning specifically raised concerns for the United Arab Emirates, where several strategic oil and shipping facilities operate near the critical Strait of Hormuz.
