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Last Updated:March 15, 2026, 14:20 IST
Can US destroy Kharg Island? Why it matters? Why is it the "crown jewel" or "orphan pearl" of Iran? Will destroying Kharg island have an impact on the world's oil economy?
Kharg Island, Iran's most critical oil export hub, has become a primary target in the escalating war. (AI generated for representation)
US President Donald Trump has threatened further strikes on Iran’s Kharg Island oil export hub and urged allies to deploy warships to secure the Strait of Hormuz, an artery for global energy supplies, as Tehran vowed to intensify its response.
With the US-Israeli war on Iran in its third week, Trump said US strikes had “totally demolished" much of the island and warned of more, telling NBC News on Saturday, “We may hit it a few more times just for fun."
The remarks marked a sharp escalation from Trump, who had previously said the US was targeting only military sites on Kharg, and undercut diplomatic efforts. His administration has rebuffed efforts by Middle Eastern allies to start negotiations, three sources told Reuters.
Kharg Island, Iran’s most critical oil export hub, has become a primary target in the escalating US-Israel war with Iran. Often called Iran’s “crown jewel“, the island is the terminal for approximately 90–95% of Iran’s crude oil exports.
US strikes Iran’s Kharg island: Can it be destroyed?
Military analysts and US officials confirm the U.S. has the clear capability to destroy the island’s infrastructure.
On March 13, 2026, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) executed what President Trump described as one of the “strongest bombing raids" in Middle Eastern history. The strikes hit over 90 military targets, specifically aiming to “obliterate" storage facilities for naval mines and missiles used by the IRGC to block the Strait of Hormuz.
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Trump said the US military had heavily bombed targets on the island, also threatening to hit the island’s oil infrastructure. Stating that every military target was obliterated, Trump wrote on social media, “I have chosen NOT to wipe out the Oil Infrastructure on the Island. However, should Iran, or anyone else, do anything to interfere with the Free and Safe Passage of Ships through the Strait of Hormuz, I will immediately reconsider."
Both US and Iranian sources confirm that oil facilities were deliberately spared in the initial raid. Trump stated this was done for “reasons of decency" but warned that energy infrastructure would be “next" if Iran continues to interfere with international shipping.
On March 15, Trump escalated his rhetoric, suggesting the U.S. may hit the island “a few more times just for fun", according to Al Jazeera.
What Iran said about Kharg island attacks
Iran’s Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi on Sunday accused the United States of launching attacks on two Iranian islands in the Persian Gulf from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and warned that Tehran will respond, according to Iranian state media Press TV.
Araghchi said the attacks targeted Kharg Island, which hosts Iran’s major oil export terminals, and Abu Musa, a strategic island near the entrance of the Strat of Hormuz.
“Last night they attacked Kharg Island and Abu Musa Island with the artillery-rocket system HIMARS, which is a short-range rocket system," he said.
He claimed the rockets were launched from locations in the UAE, including Ras Al Khaimah and an area close to Dubai. “They launched these rockets from the soil of our neighbours. It is crystal clear they are using our neighbours’ territory to attack us, and this is absolutely unacceptable," he said.
Press TV reported Araghchi as saying that Iranian forces tracked the attacks and warned that launching weapons from densely populated areas was extremely dangerous. He added that Iran would respond, but would exercise caution to avoid hitting residential areas.
“What we are doing within the framework of legitimate defence is targeting American bases, facilities, assets and interests, which unfortunately are located in the territories of our neighbours," he said.
According to Press TV, the strikes did not hit Iranian energy infrastructure but caused damage to military sites on the two islands. “We warn the UAE leadership that the Islamic Republic of Iran views it as its legitimate right to strike the origins of American missile launches," Zolfaghari said, according to Press TV.
Why Kharg island matters
Kharg Island can load up to 10 supertankers simultaneously and has a loading capacity of roughly 7 million barrels per day. Despite the heavy bombing of military sites, Iranian state media reports that oil export operations are continuing as normal.
The threat to Kharg has contributed to global oil prices surging toward $150 per barrel, as analysts warn that a full destruction of the terminal would cripple Iran’s economy and cause a global energy shock, according to news reports.
Geographic and historical context
It is a small coral island in the northern Persian Gulf, situated about 25–30 km (15–18 miles) off the Iranian coast near the port of Bushehr.
It is one of the few Gulf islands with natural freshwater, which supported historical settlements and trade for centuries.
The “Forbidden Island": Due to its strategic importance, access is strictly limited and it is heavily guarded by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Why is Kharg island called Orphan Pearl?
Orphan Pearl or Yatim-e Khalij is a famous nickname for Kharg Island. The phrase was coined in 1960 by the celebrated Iranian writer and philosopher Jalal Al-e-Ahmad. Al-e-Ahmad used the term to describe the island’s striking but lonely isolation in the Persian Gulf. He viewed the island as being separated from the Iranian mainland “like a pearl that had lost its oyster".
What will happen if Kharg Island is destroyed?
The destruction of Kharg Island — the “economic throat" of the Iranian regime — is considered a “red line" that would trigger catastrophic global and regional consequences.
Since Kharg handles nearly all of Iran’s crude oil exports, its destruction would annihilate Iran’s economy, with 90-95% exports lost. Without oil revenue, Iran’s intelligence and military apparatus would likely run out of money to sustain the war.
US-Israel-Iran War LIVE Updates HERE
Approximately 2 million barrels per day would be removed from the global market. Analysts predict oil prices could soar to $150 per barrel or higher, fueling global inflation.
As the primary buyer of Iranian oil, China’s energy security would be severely compromised, straining U.S.-China relations.
Iran has threatened to reduce US-linked oil facilities in the region, including those in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Kuwait, to a “pile of ashes". Iranian officials warned they might ignite their own infrastructure rather than let it be seized. Strikes would release massive quantities of greenhouse gases and toxic smoke, potentially causing acid “black rain" over Tehran and long-term soil contamination, according to an Al-Jazeera assessment.
With Reuters, ANI, agency inputs
First Published:
March 15, 2026, 14:13 IST
News explainers Iran’s ‘Orphan Pearl’ Kharg Island Is Precious For The World Too: Why Trump Must Spare It
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