US strikes Iran's key oil hub in Persian Gulf
Photo: The US strikes Kharg Island: 90% of Iran's oil exports are at risk (flickr.com)
The US struck Kharg Island in the Persian Gulf, Iran’s main oil hub, according to Israeli journalist and Axios correspondent Barak Ravid.
According to the report, the US carried out strikes on military targets on Kharg Island in the Persian Gulf. Several explosions were heard on the island, which has also been confirmed by the Hindustan Times and India Today.
The island is the main hub for Iran’s maritime oil exports. About 90% of the country’s total oil exports pass through it, with the vast majority of the crude destined for China.
Earlier, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) warned that if the U.S. military crossed red lines, Iran would respond beyond the region.
Background
The day before, US President Donald Trump issued an ultimatum to Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz by 8 p.m. on April 7, Washington time.
Tehran ignored the demand, and the Iranian embassy in Zimbabwe even revealed an ironic response suggesting that they reschedule the attack for a time convenient for them.
Trump responded by threatening that "a whole civilization will die tonight".
On April 6, Trump commented on allegations of potential war crimes in the event of strikes on Iran’s civilian infrastructure. According to him, the real war crime is allowing Iran to acquire nuclear weapons.
Meanwhile, the UN expressed concern over Trump’s rhetoric. The spokesperson for Secretary-General António Guterres stated that strikes on civilian infrastructure, if they harm the civilian population, could violate international law.
Trump was considering the possibility of postponing the attacks if he saw real progress in the negotiations. At the same time, a plan for a large-scale bombing campaign against Iran’s energy facilities was already in place.
In Iran, amid these threats, the authorities called on young people to form a human chain around power plants across the country.
Alireza Rahimi, Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports, posted a call on social media and invited everyone, regardless of their views or religious beliefs, to stand shoulder to shoulder near infrastructure facilities.
