US Strikes Iran’s ‘Crown Jewel’ Kharg Island—Here’s Why

US President Donald Trump claimed that the US attacked military targets on Kharg Island, Iran's primary oil hub, on March 13 and threatened to attack the island's oil infrastructure, which continues to obstruct shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

US President Donald Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social that the US military “totally obliterated every MILITARY target” on the island, i.e., Iran’s “crown jewel”, but he had decided to leave oil infrastructure intact. The island serves as the export terminal for 90% of Iran’s oil shipments and lies about 300 miles (483 km) northwest of the strait.

“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,” Trump said.

The president added that Iran lacked the capacity to repel US attacks. He declared, “Iran’s Military and all others involved with this Terrorist Regime, would be wise to lay down their arms, and save what’s left of their country, which isn’t much!” he wrote on Truth Social.

The action was taken at a time when oil prices have been fluctuating due to Trump's shifting remarks about how long the war with Iran is likely to last. Iran has responded by attacking ships in the strait, which is the route for a fifth of the world's oil.

Strategic Oil Hub Importance

Iran's energy exports and the international oil markets depend heavily on Kharg Island. The island handles the great majority of Iran's seaborne oil shipments and is the country's primary crude oil export terminal, according to the US Energy Information Administration.

Because about one-fifth of the world's petroleum trade passes through the nearby Strait of Hormuz, analysts point out to Bloomberg that any disruption to the facilities surrounding Kharg Island could have a significant impact on global energy supplies.

Energy experts also caution that as traders respond to the possibility of supply disruptions throughout the Persian Gulf region, growing tensions between Iran, the United States, and regional shipping routes could quickly cause volatility in oil prices.