Kharg Island, which handles the bulk of Iran’s crude oil exports and was once mooted by President Donald Trump as a potential target, could lead to broader regional instability and attacks on energy infrastructure if it were hit by the US, a leading target. expert in the field of energy security has warned.
Reports indicate that the Trump administration is considering options including a direct attack on Kharg Island.
While discussing the possibility of boots on the ground during Operation Epic Fury on “The Claman Countdown,” the retired Army sergeant said. General Mark Kimmitt also said it Liz Klaman The striking Kharg could be on the horizon.
“I don’t think there is a significant number of ground actions in the offing, apart from the possibility of an attack on Kharg Island,” he said on March 9.
TRUMP IS REALIGNING THE WORLD ENERGY MARKETS, AND THE IRAN STRIKES ACTUALLY HELP
The Kharg Island Oil Terminal brings Iranian oil to the world market. The oil terminal is the largest open oil terminal in the world; 95% of Iran’s crude oil exports come here. (Fatemeh Bahrami/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
Trump’s interest in the island dates back to a 1988 interview in which he reportedly suggested targeting Kharg in response to Iranian aggression, according to reports.
“I would be tough on Iran. They have beaten us psychologically, making us look like a bunch of fools,” Trump said. “One bullet shot at one of our men or ships, and I’d do a number on Kharg Island. I would go in and take it.”
Sara Vakhshouri, a global energy analyst, said the striking Kharg is fully in line with Washington’s “energy dominance” doctrine, speaking as US and Israeli military action in Iran is roiling energy markets and disrupting oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz.
“Interrupting Iran’s main export terminal would likely lead to a major oil price increase, market instability and regional retaliation against energy infrastructure.”
TRUMP SAYS IT’S AN ‘HONOR’ TO KEEP THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ OPEN TO CHINA AND OTHER COUNTRIES
Reports indicate that President Donald Trump’s administration is considering a direct attack on Iran’s Kharg Island, which handles 90% of Iran’s oil exports near the Strait of Hormuz. (Fatemeh Bahrami/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
The significance of Kharg is not just tactical but also strategic, she added, arguing that this fits squarely within Trump’s long-touted doctrine.
The policy, which was central to Trump’s first term, prioritized maximizing U.S. oil and gas production, expanding exports and harnessing U.S. energy power as a geopolitical tool.
“But when we talk about Kharg, the most important factor is that it fits within the US energy dominance concept,” Vakhshouri said, suggesting that keeping the island in reserve as a pressure point – rather than attacking it immediately – could be a more strategic option.
Kharg is located in the northern Persian Gulf, about 15 miles from mainland Iran. Tankers leaving the terminal pass through the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow chokepoint that handles about a fifth of global oil trade.
KEANE WARNS IRAN STRIKE WILL BECOME ‘REGIONAL WAR’, SAYS THREE GULF STATES PREPARING FOR FIGHT
President Donald Trump gestures as he boards Air Force One before leaving Palm Beach International Airport in West Palm Beach, Florida, March 1, 2026. (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images)
About 90% to 95% of Iran’s crude and petroleum exports pass through Kharg, making it the regime’s main oil revenue center.
“There could be about 15 to 20 million barrels in storage, while during the sanctions about 1.5 to 3 million barrels per day are exported through the terminal, with an export capacity of up to 5 million barrels per day,” Vakhshouri said.
“If export capacity from Kharg were lost, this restraint could weaken, shifting the risk to further attacks on regional energy facilities and, most importantly, long-term disruption to oil flows and tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz,” she warned.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
“Setting a price ceiling for such a scenario would largely depend on Iran’s retaliation,” Vakhshouri added.
“The certain outcome, however, would be prolonged market volatility and uncertainty, driven by fear of further retaliation or a longer cycle of disruption.”
