1 hour ago
Last Updated:March 16, 2026, 09:05 IST
Iran War Updates: US President Donald Trump is weighing the seizure of Kharg Island, Iran’s main oil export hub, as the war escalates.
US Considering Seizure Of Iran’s Kharg Island Oil Depot
Days after saying the United States had “obliterated every military target" on Iran’s Kharg Island, US President Donald Trump is now weighing the possibility of seizing the island’s critical oil depot, according to an Axios report citing American officials.
The move would require US troops on the ground if oil tankers continue to remain trapped in the Persian Gulf.
Why does Trump want Kharg Island?
Kharg Island, located in the Persian Gulf, is Iran’s main terminal for oil exports and a crucial part of the country’s energy sector. Often called Iran’s “crown jewel", the island handles around 90-95 per cent of the country’s crude oil exports.
The terminal can load up to ten supertankers at the same time and has a loading capacity of roughly seven million barrels per day.
Despite heavy bombing of military facilities, Iranian state media said oil export operations on the island were continuing as normal.
The development comes as Trump has also threatened further strikes on the oil export hub and urged allies to deploy warships to secure the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global energy supplies, while Iran has vowed to intensify its response.
US forces have continued to strike Iranian targets across the country, with particular focus on the Persian Gulf coast and Kharg Island, which lies about 15 miles off Iran’s coast and handles roughly 90 per cent of its crude exports.
Trump announced on Friday that he had ordered strikes on military installations on the island but spared its oil facilities. Speaking to NBC News on Saturday, he said the US “may hit it a few more times just for fun".
Possible US ground operation in Iran
A senior White House official said no final decision had been taken on Kharg Island.
“The president has made no decisions on Kharg Island," the official said, adding that the situation could change if efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz continue to stall.
“The president is not going to wait around and let the Iranians dictate the pace of the conflict," the official added.
Another US official said Trump was drawn to the idea of seizing Kharg Island because it could deal what he described as “an economic knockout of the regime" by cutting off Tehran’s main source of oil revenue.
However, such a move would require US troops on the ground and could trigger Iranian retaliation against oil facilities and pipelines across Gulf countries, especially Saudi Arabia.
“There are big risks. There are big rewards. The president isn’t there yet and we’re not saying he will be," the official said.
Political support in Washington
US Senator Lindsey Graham praised Trump’s decision to target Kharg Island, saying Iran’s economy would be “annihilated" if it lost control of the oil hub.
Writing on X, he said, “Seldom in warfare does an enemy provide you a single target like Kharg Island that could dramatically alter the outcome of the conflict. He who controls Kharg Island, controls the destiny of this war."
Kharg Island is a small coral island in the northern Persian Gulf, located about 25-30 kilometres off the Iranian coast near the port city of Bushehr.
It is also one of the few Gulf islands with natural freshwater, which supported settlements and trade in the region for centuries.
Earlier, Axios reported that the US military was considering seizing Kharg Island and separately sending special forces to secure Iran’s alleged stockpiles of highly enriched uranium.
First Published:
March 16, 2026, 09:05 IST
News world After Strikes, Trump Wants To Capture Iran’s ‘Crown Jewel’ Kharg Island: Report
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