The United States carried out airstrikes against military targets on Iran’s Kharg Island on Friday.
While President Donald Trump confirmed on Truth Social that US forces obliterated the island’s military installations, he explicitly noted that oil infrastructure was spared. However, he issued a stark warning: if Iran interferes with commercial vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz, those oil facilities will be targeted next.
shipping industry is on high alert:
- Kharg Island: Located 15 miles off the Iranian coast, this island is the core of Iran’s export network, handling roughly 90 percent of the country’s crude oil.
- Export Volumes: Prior to the strikes, tanker monitoring data showed Iran exporting between 1.1 million and 1.5 million barrels per day, with many shipments moving via shadow fleets to Asian markets.
- Strait of Hormuz: Situated about 300 miles southeast of Kharg Island, this narrow chokepoint normally carries nearly one fifth of the world’s oil supply.