Newsletters
The United States hit over 50 military targets on Iran’s Kharg Island early Tuesday, escalating pressure on Tehran just hours before a deadline set by President Donald Trump to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, according to the report.
Two U.S. officials confirmed the operation took place in the early hours of the day, targeting military sites on the island, which serves as Iran’s main oil export hub, the Wall Street Journal reported. The strikes, however, did not extend to oil infrastructure.
Iranian media reported multiple explosions across Kharg Island following the strikes, stating that U.S. and Israeli warplanes carried out several waves of airstrikes that triggered blasts across the area. No immediate details were available on casualties or the extent of the damage.
The operation unfolded as Washington hardened its stance on Tehran, with President Donald Trump setting a deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz by Tuesday evening, a key artery for global oil shipments.
Trump had earlier asserted that all military targets on Kharg Island had been "completely destroyed," while also floating the idea of taking control of Iranian oil assets. Seizing the island, Iran’s main export terminal, was among the options he signaled.
Despite the sharp rhetoric, U.S. officials noted that Tuesday’s strikes deliberately avoided energy infrastructure, keeping the focus squarely on military capabilities, the report suggested.
Kharg Island, located off Iran’s southern coast in the Persian Gulf, serves as the country’s main oil export terminal and a critical node in global energy flows. The island typically handles the vast majority of Iran’s crude shipments, making it central to both state revenues and international supply chains.
Washington has increasingly tied the island to the broader standoff over the Strait of Hormuz, where shipping routes remain under strain. U.S. officials have framed Kharg as leverage in efforts to push Tehran to reopen the waterway, while leaving open the possibility of wider strikes.
Iran, for its part, has signaled that any direct hit on its oil export infrastructure could trigger retaliation targeting energy assets across the Gulf, raising the stakes around the island’s role in the war.
Set as preferred source
Set as preferred source
1 min read
1 min read
