Trump says Iran’s strategically important Kharg Island has been ‘totally obliterated’ and threatens to wipe out oil infastructure unless Starit of Hormuz is opened

Donald Trump gleefully claimed that the US had ‘destroyed’ Iran’s Kharg Island, while Tehran threatened revenge if it went after the island’s oil infrastructure.

The president boasted of the decisive strikes in a post on his Truth Social account Friday evening.

‘A few minutes ago, United States Central Command, under my instructions, carried out one of the most powerful bombing raids in the History of the Middle East, completely destroying all MILITARY targets on Iran’s jewel, Kharg Island,’ he wrote.

He added that he did not go after the island’s oil infrastructure ‘out of decency’, but said Iran was unlikely to make a wrong move.

“However, if Iran or anyone else does anything to interfere with the Free and Safe Passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz, I will immediately reconsider this decision,” he said.

Trump later released video of the apparent strikes. The Daily Mail has reached out to the White House and Pentagon for comment.

According to Iranian media, the Iranian army said that if the USA hits oil facilities, the oil and energy infrastructure owned by US-linked companies will be ‘immediately destroyed and turned into a pile of ashes’.

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammed Bager Qalibaf warned He said Thursday’s attacks on islands along Iran’s southern sea border would cause Iran to ‘abandon all restrictions’ and underscore how central they are to the country’s economy and security.

Kharg Island (pictured), Qeshm Island and the smaller Abu Musa islands, as well as the Greater and Lesser Tunb, are of great importance due to their oil facilities and strategic location

Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency reported that at least 15 explosions and thick smoke rose over Kharg Island, which was previously hit by US attacks.

He stated that the attacks targeted an air defense facility, a naval base, an airport control tower and the helicopter hangar of an offshore oil company, adding that no oil infrastructure was damaged in the attack.

Kharg Island, Qeshm Island and the smaller Abu Musa islands, as well as the Greater and Lesser Tunb, are of great importance due to their oil facilities and strategic locations.

The small coral island, about 34 miles off the coast of Iran, is the main terminal through which nearly all of Iran’s oil exports pass.

Iran has exported 13.7 million barrels of oil since the start of the war, and several tankers were seen in satellite images uploaded to Kharg on Wednesday, according to TankerTrackers.com, a maritime intelligence company.

Iran gets a significant portion of its annual $78 billion income from oil, and shipments go to countries such as China.

An attack on Kharg would not only damage Iran’s current government but could also undermine the viability of its replacement.

In the south of the island, there are housing for thousands of workers as well as storage tanks.

Trump later released visible video of the attacks

Gazelles roam freely near the refineries and warehouses that make Kharg one of Iran’s most valuable and sensitive assets.

Petras Katinas, an energy researcher at the Royal United Services Institute, said Kharg Island is critical for funding the Iranian government and military.

If Iran loses control of Kharg, it would be difficult for the country to function, even though the island is not a military or nuclear target, he said.

“It doesn’t matter which regime is in power; new or old,” Katinas said. he said. The takeover will give the US an advantage in negotiations with Iran because it is the ‘main node’ of the island’s economy.

JPMorgan’s global commodities research team warned in an investment note this week that a strike on the island would have major economic consequences.

“The island is often viewed as a critical vulnerability but is rarely directly targeted,” the statement said.

‘A direct attack would immediately halt the bulk of Iran’s crude oil exports and likely trigger serious retaliation in the Strait of Hormuz or against regional energy infrastructure.’

Trump answered questions from reporters traveling with him before boarding Air Force One on Friday, but did not mention the latest US military operation.

Meanwhile, about two weeks after the war with the Islamic Republic began, 2,500 sailors and an amphibious assault ship were sent to the Middle East, an American official said.

Kharg Island, Qeshm Island (pictured) and the smaller Abu Musa islands, as well as the Greater and Lesser Tunb, are of great importance due to their oil facilities and strategic location

An attack on Kharg would not only damage Iran’s current government but also undermine the viability of its replacement.

The humanitarian crisis in Lebanon has deepened, with nearly 800 people killed and 850,000 displaced as Israel launched a wave of attacks against Iran-backed Hezbollah militants and warned it would not be abandoned.

Elements from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit and the amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli have received orders to head to the Middle East, according to the U.S. official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive military plans.

Marine Expeditionary Units can conduct amphibious landings but also specialize in enhancing security at embassies, evacuating civilians, and disaster relief.

Deployment does not necessarily mean that a ground operation is imminent or will occur.

US and Israeli strikes have killed more than 1,200 people in Iran, according to Health Ministry figures that cannot be independently verified.

As of Friday, at least 13 U.S. soldiers have been killed since Trump began his offensive two weeks ago.

In Washington, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said more than 15,000 enemy targets had been hit; this number had been more than 1,000 per day since the start of the war.

He also sought to allay concerns about bottling in the Strait of Hormuz, telling reporters: ‘We’re taking care of it and we don’t need to worry about it.’

The UN Refugee Agency estimates that as many as 3.2 million people have been displaced within Iran since the war began.

Iran has retaliated with missile and drone attacks on at least 10 countries despite facing superior US and Israeli firepower.

Tehran has also squeezed the world economy by threatening to strike oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, bringing traffic to a near standstill on a route that normally carries a fifth of global oil supply.

Crude oil prices have risen more than 40 percent since the start of the war.