White House on Friday said that it could “take out” Iran’s Kharg Island whenever it wanted. The comments came after a report that President Donald Trump’s administration was considering plans to occupy or blockade the oil hub.
As per an Axios report, Trump was mulling an operation against Kharg to pressure the Islamic Republic to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the crucial oil shipping lane that Tehran has largely blocked.
“The United States Military can take out Kharg Island at any time if the President gives the order,” White House Principal Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly wrote in a statement to AFP when asked about the Axios report.
The statement comes at a time when US is reportedly deploying additional Marines to the Middle East.
What is Kharg Island?
Kharg, which functions as the export terminal for 90% of Iran’s oil shipments, lies about 16 miles off Iran’s coast. It is located roughly 300 miles (483 km) northwest of the Strait of Hormuz.
As per a declassified CIA note from 1984, the island’s oil facilities are “the most vital” part of Iran’s petroleum system, crucial for the country’s economy.
White House says Trump knew Iran would stop energy flow
In the statement, Kelly also wrote that Trump was already aware that Iran would try to stop “the freedom of navigation and free flow of energy,” adding that the president has already taken action to destroy over 40 “minelaying vessels.”
The Strait of Hormuz has become a flashpoint in the escalating Middle East conflict as an Iranian blockade has paralysed commercial shipping through the crucial maritime chokepoint, contributing to the spike in global oil prices since the start of the war on February 28.
Trump said the United States had “totally obliterated” all military targets on Kharg in strikes on Friday, threatening to hit the island’s infrastructure if Iran keeps blocking the Strait of Hormuz.
