Kharg Island plays a pivotal role in Iran’s oil export strategy, handling the majority of the country’s crude shipments. A key player in the global oil market, this island has found itself under scrutiny, notably from former U.S. President Donald Trump, who considered it a potential target. Striking Kharg Island, however, could ignite a broader conflict in the region and jeopardize vital energy infrastructure, a prominent energy security specialist has cautioned.
Recent discussions within the Trump administration have hinted at the possibility of a direct attack on Kharg Island. These considerations have surfaced amidst broader strategic maneuvers, including Operation Epic Fury. During an appearance on “The Claman Countdown,” retired Army Brigadier General Mark Kimmitt shared insights with host Liz Claman, suggesting that an assault on Kharg might indeed be a looming possibility.
“I don’t think we’ll see a significant deployment of ground troops, except maybe in the scenario of an attack on Kharg Island,” Kimmitt stated on March 9, reflecting on the potential military strategies under consideration.
Kharg Island’s oil terminal is a mammoth in the industry, recognized as the world’s largest open oil terminal and the conduit for 95% of Iran’s crude oil exports. Its critical position in global energy markets underscores the potential repercussions of any military action targeting the facility.
Trump’s focus on Kharg Island is not new. His interest dates back to a 1988 interview where he reportedly proposed targeting the island as a countermeasure to Iranian provocations. Such historical context adds a layer of complexity to the current strategic discussions.
Trump’s interest in the island dates back to a 1988 interview in which he reportedly suggested targeting Kharg in response to Iranian aggression, according to reports.
“I’d be harsh on Iran. They’ve been beating us psychologically, making us look like a bunch of fools,” Trump said. “One bullet shot at one of our men or ships, and I’d do a number on Kharg Island. I’d go in and take it.”
Sara Vakhshouri, a global energy analyst, said striking Kharg aligns squarely with Washington’s “energy dominance” doctrine and spoke as U.S. and Israeli military action in Iran rattles energy markets and disrupts oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz.
“Kharg currently acts as a strategic restraint point in the conflict,” Vakhshouri, founder and president of SVB Energy International, told Fox News Digital.
“Interrupting Iran’s main export terminal would likely trigger a major oil price spike, market instability and regional retaliation against energy infrastructure.”
Reports indicate President Donald Trump’s administration is considering a direct attack on Iran’s Kharg Island, which handles 90% of Iranian oil exports near Strait of Hormuz. (Fatemeh Bahrami/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
Kharg’s significance is not only tactical but strategic, she added, arguing that it fits squarely within Trump’s long-touted doctrine.
The policy, central to Trump’s first term, prioritized maximizing U.S. oil and gas production, expanding exports and leveraging U.S. energy strength as a geopolitical tool.
“But when we talk about Kharg, the most important factor is that it fits within the U.S. energy dominance concept,” Vakhshouri said, suggesting that holding the island in reserve as a pressure point — rather than immediately striking it — may be a more strategic option.
Kharg sits in the northern Persian Gulf, roughly 15 miles off Iran’s mainland. Tankers leaving the terminal pass through the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow choke point that handles about one-fifth of global oil trade.
President Donald Trump gestures as he boards Air Force One before departing Palm Beach International Airport in West Palm Beach, Fla., March 1, 2026. (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images)
Around 90% to 95% of Iran’s crude and petroleum exports pass through Kharg, making it the regime’s primary oil revenue hub.
“Roughly 15 to 20 million barrels may be in storage, with around 1.5 to 3 million barrels per day exported through the terminal during the sanctions, with export capacity up to 5 million barrels per day,” Vakhshouri said.
“If the export capability from Kharg were lost, this restraint could diminish, shifting the risk toward further strikes on regional energy facilities and, more importantly, prolonged disruption of oil flows and tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz,” she warned.
“Putting a price ceiling on such a scenario would depend largely on Iran’s retaliatory actions,” Vakhshouri added.
“The certain outcome, however, would be prolonged volatility and uncertainty in the market, driven by fears of further retaliation or an extended cycle of disruption.”
Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House for comment.
