Washington, United States. U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to order strikes on Iran’s Kharg Island petroleum infrastructure unless Tehran stopped attacking vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. Trump said U.S. strikes had hit military targets on the island but did not target its oil facilities.
Trump’s warning and claims about strikes
Trump issued the ultimatum amid market concerns over supply disruptions and said on social media that the United States had “totally obliterated” military targets on Kharg Island. The island is the export terminal for 90% of Iran’s oil shipments and lies about 300 miles (483 km) northwest of the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump wrote that U.S. strikes did not target Kharg’s oil infrastructure, but said the United States would “immediately reconsider” that decision if Iran or others interfered with the “Free and Safe Passage of Ships” through the strait. He added that Iran had no ability to defend against U.S. attacks and urged Iran’s military and others involved with what he called a “Terrorist Regime” to lay down their arms, in posts on Truth Social.
Iran’s response and reports from Kharg Island
Iran’s armed forces said on Saturday that any strike on Iran’s oil and energy infrastructure would lead to strikes on facilities owned by oil companies cooperating with the United States in the region, according to Iranian media.
Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency reported, citing sources, that more than 15 explosions were heard on Kharg Island during the U.S. attacks. The sources said the attacks targeted air defenses, a naval base, and airport facilities, and caused no damage to oil infrastructure.
Market concerns over oil supply
Markets watched for any sign that U.S. strikes had damaged the island’s network of pipelines, terminals and storage tanks. The article said even minor disruptions could further tighten global supply and add pressure to an already volatile market.
Regional strikes and reported casualties
In other strikes across the region, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said early Saturday that it had carried out additional attacks on Israel with Lebanon’s Hezbollah militia, Iran’s Tasnim news agency reported.
On Friday, the Israeli military said its air force had struck more than 200 targets in western and central Iran over the past day, including ballistic missile launchers, air-defence systems and weapons production sites.
The U.S. military on Friday confirmed that all six crew members aboard a refuelling aircraft that crashed in western Iraq were dead.
How do you think heightened military threats in the Strait of Hormuz could affect global oil supply and prices?