U.S. President Donald Trump said American forces had launched a major bombing raid on Iran’s strategic Kharg Island, targeting military facilities on the key Persian Gulf outpost while warning Tehran that its vital oil infrastructure could be destroyed if shipping in the Strait of Hormuz is disrupted.
In a social media statement, Trump said that at his direction the United States Central Command carried out “one of the most powerful bombing raids in the history of the Middle East,” claiming U.S. forces had “totally obliterated every military target” on Kharg Island.
Trump said the United States had deliberately avoided striking the island’s oil infrastructure, which handles the vast majority of Iran’s crude exports.
“For reasons of decency, I have chosen NOT to wipe out the oil infrastructure on the island,” Trump wrote, warning that the decision could change if Iran interferes with ships moving through the Strait of Hormuz, the world’s most critical oil shipping chokepoint.
Speaking to reporters earlier Friday, Trump said the U.S. military campaign would continue “as long as necessary,” while claiming the operation was “way ahead of schedule.” He also suggested the U.S. Navy would soon begin escorting commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz amid escalating attacks on shipping.
Kharg Island sits about 25 kilometers off Iran’s southwestern coast and serves as the backbone of the country’s oil export system. The terminal accounts for roughly 90% of Iranian crude shipments, loading millions of barrels per day onto tankers bound largely for Asian markets.
Because so much of Iran’s export capacity is concentrated in one location, the island represents a critical economic lifeline. Analysts say destroying the terminal could cripple Iran’s economy for months or even years—but could also send global oil prices sharply higher.
So far, U.S. and Israeli strikes in the conflict have largely targeted Iranian military and nuclear infrastructure. Oil facilities elsewhere in Iran have been hit, but Kharg’s massive storage tanks, jetties, and pipelines had remained untouched until the latest strike.
By Tom Kool for Oilprice.com
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