Trump says the US struck military targets on Iran’s vital oil export island

US President Donald Trump has said American forces struck military targets on Iran’s Kharg Island, a strategic oil export hub in the Persian Gulf, claiming the operation “obliterated” the sites.

In a social media statement on Friday, Trump said the United States had deliberately avoided attacking the island’s oil infrastructure but warned that could change if Iran interferes with shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz.

“For reasons of decency, I have chosen NOT to wipe out the Oil Infrastructure on the Island,” Trump wrote.

“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 this decision.”

Kharg Island serves as the main terminal through which the majority of Iran’s oil exports pass, making it one of the most strategically important energy facilities in the region.

Until now, the island had largely been spared during recent US and Israeli military strikes on Iranian targets.

However, Trump’s announcement suggests the conflict may be expanding to include infrastructure linked to Iran’s energy sector.

Iran responded swiftly to the threat.

Iranian armed forces warned that any attack on the country’s oil or energy infrastructure would trigger retaliation against energy facilities owned by companies cooperating with the United States in the region.

Iranian media reported the warning shortly after Trump’s comments became public.

The possibility of strikes on Kharg Island has long been viewed as a major escalation due to the island’s central role in global energy markets.

The island functions as Iran’s primary oil export terminal and plays a crucial role in the country’s economy.

Iranian officials had previously signalled that such an attack would provoke strong retaliation.

On Thursday, Iranian parliamentary speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf warned that strikes targeting islands along Iran’s southern maritime frontier would push the country to “abandon all restraint”.

His statement underlined how vital the island is to Iran’s national security and economic stability.

The latest developments come amid intensifying military operations between the United States, Israel and Iran following the outbreak of war on 28 February.

Military analysts have warned that any sustained attacks on Kharg Island could have far-reaching economic consequences.

Energy experts say the site’s importance to global oil supply means damage there could push prices significantly higher.

Neil Quilliam, an analyst at the Chatham House think tank, said earlier this week that strikes on the island could dramatically affect global oil markets.

“We may see the $120 a barrel price we saw on Monday heading to the $150 if Kharg were attacked,” he said.

Meanwhile, the United States has also reinforced its military presence in the region.

Earlier on Friday, a US official told the Associated Press that the American military had ordered 2,500 Marines and the amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli to the Middle East.

Marine Expeditionary Units are capable of conducting amphibious landings but are also often deployed for missions such as protecting embassies, evacuating civilians and providing disaster relief.

Officials said the deployment does not necessarily indicate that a ground operation is imminent.

The 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit and the USS Tripoli are based in Japan and had been operating in the Pacific Ocean before the redeployment order.

Satellite images recently showed the vessel sailing near Taiwan, meaning it could take more than a week to reach waters near Iran.

The region already hosts a significant US naval presence.

Earlier in the week, the US Navy had 12 ships operating in the Arabian Sea, including the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and eight destroyers.

If the USS Tripoli joins the existing fleet, it would become the second-largest US vessel currently deployed in the region after the aircraft carrier.

The situation remains volatile as both sides continue to issue warnings and threats amid the widening conflict.