US EditionHow risky would a US assault on Iran’s Kharg Island be — and why might Trump consider it
Kharg Island handles about 90% of Iran’s crude exports, with 18 million barrels stored, making it a key target for US forces amid rising Gulf tensions.
- On Friday, thousands of US Marines arrived in the Middle East as President Donald Trump's deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz expires, with reports suggesting a potential operation against Kharg Island.
- Iran has fortified Kharg Island, which handles around 90 percent of its crude exports, with additional military personnel and shoulder-fired MANPADs in recent weeks to prepare for a potential US operation.
- Former NATO supreme allied commander James Stavridis cautioned Tuesday that Marines would need "ironclad air and sea superiority over at least 100 miles around the island" before any ground operation through the Strait of Hormuz.
- Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf warned Wednesday that "Iran's enemies, with the support of one of the regional countries" face relentless attacks if they occupy Iranian islands, while Gulf allies privately urge against the operation.
- Experts, including former Council on Foreign Relations president Richard Haass, warn that seizing Kharg would likely "further erode US missile stockpiles," and analysts question whether the operation provides sufficient leverage to reopen the strategic strait.
17 Articles
17 Articles
Al-Monitor
The Straits TimesExplainer-Drones and mines: taking Kharg Island would pose risks for US troops
By David BrunnstromWASHINGTON, March 26 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump has been weighing whether to use ground forces to seize Iran's strategic oil hub of Kharg Island, an operation analysts say could be achieved quickly, but leave U.S. troops in great peril and prolong rather than shorten the war.WHERE IS KHARG ISLAND AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?
The US is bringing paratroopers and marines together. The goal could be the conquest of Iranian islands such as Kharg. But such a deployment would be risky.
Analysis: Why seizing Iran’s Kharg Island could be a trap of America’s own making
A US effort to seize Kharg Island, the Islamic Republic’s critical economic hub, would be a high-risk operation that would likely entail significant costs for little gain. Kharg is much more likely to become a liability than an asset, drawing the Trump administration closer to the war of attrition it is trying to avoid. The post Analysis: Why seizing Iran’s Kharg Island could be a trap of America’s own making appeared first on FDD's Long War Jou…
Analysts say potential US operation to seize Iran's Kharg Island would be risky
The Pentagon is considering the seizure of Iran's Kharg Island. It's a risky operation, and Iran could retaliate by targeting the biggest energy facilities in the Gulf, sending prices soaring.
Why seizing Iran’s Kharg Island could put US troops at high risk
New Delhi: As the war in the West Asia drags on with no end in sight, there are reports that the US could be mulling a ground offensive and seize the Kharg island forcibly. US forces had launched military targets on the island around two weeks back. However, now, the US is reportedly planning ground invasion on it. And analysts say such an operation could be executed swiftly, but it would place US troops at major risk and likely prolong, rather …
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