President Donald Trump is reportedly considering the capture of Iran’s primary oil depot on Kharg Island.
The seizure would necessitate the presence of U.S. military forces on the ground. This development comes amid the continuing blockade in the Persian Gulf, which is hindering Gulf oil and preventing Trump from ending the war, even if he desired to do so, Axios reported late Sunday.
The island, a strategically important terminal situated 15 miles from Iran’s coast, handles nearly 90% of Iran’s crude oil exports.
Trump is reportedly “drawn” to the concept of seizing Kharg Island outright, as it would lead to “an economic knockout of the regime,” a source told the publication. However, such a move could trigger Iranian counterattacks on oil facilities and pipelines across Gulf countries, particularly in Saudi Arabia.
On Saturday, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), a prominent critic of Iran, lauded Trump’s “decision to take the war to Kharg Island” and forecasted that Iran’s economy would be “annihilated” if it lost control of the oil hub.
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