Trump weighs plan to seize Iran's key oil island to reopen Hormuz
Photo: Donald Trump (Getty Images)
The administration of US President Donald Trump is considering plans to seize or blockade Kharg Island to force Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz for oil and gas exports, according to Axios.
According to several sources cited by the outlet, an operation to capture Kharg Island—located about 25 km offshore and responsible for processing 90% of Iran’s crude oil exports—could put US troops directly in the line of fire.
Therefore, such an operation would only begin after US forces further weaken Iran’s military capabilities around the Strait of Hormuz.
“We need about a month to weaken the Iranians more with strikes, take the island and then get them by the balls and use it for negotiations,” a source familiar with White House thinking said.
Such an operation, if approved, would also require additional troops. Three different Marine units are already heading to the region. The White House and the Pentagon are considering sending even more forces in the near future, a US official said.
“He wants Hormuz open. If he has to take Kharg Island to make it happen, that's going to happen. If he decides to have a coastal invasion, that's going to happen. But that decision hasn't been madet,” a senior administration official said.
Although Kharg Island is critical to Iran’s oil industry, there is no guarantee that its capture would force Tehran to agree to peace on Trump’s terms.
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One source said Pentagon lawyers have even been consulted to assess the legality of such potential steps.
It should be recalled that Kharg Island hosts Iran’s largest oil terminal, handling over 90% of the country’s oil and petroleum product exports. It is operated by the state-owned Iranian Oil Terminals Company, a subsidiary of the national oil monopoly.
US and Israel operation against Iran
It should be recalled that on February 28, Israel and the United States launched an operation against Iran, during which strikes reportedly killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
At the same time, media reports indicated that Trump had shown interest in deploying foreign troops in buffer zones to ensure stability in conflict regions.
RBC-Ukraine has also previously reported on whether this conflict could become a “second Iraq” for the United States and whether a quick victory is possible without a prolonged ground operation.
