U.S. Strikes Iranian Targets on Kharg Island, Tehran Warns of Retaliation

SNN – The United States has carried out large-scale military strikes on Kharg Island, a key hub of Iran’s oil operations in the Persian Gulf, escalating tensions in the region and raising concerns about global energy security.

According to U.S. Central Command, the operation targeted Iranian military facilities on the island, including naval mine storage sites and missile bunkers. U.S. officials said about 90 military targets were hit in what they described as precision strikes, while the island’s oil infrastructure was deliberately left unharmed.

Kharg Island, located about 15 miles off Iran’s coast, is strategically important because it handles around 90% of Iran’s oil exports, making it central to the country’s energy revenues.

U.S. President Donald Trump said the strikes destroyed all military targets on the island but warned that oil facilities could be targeted if Iran interferes with shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global oil transit route.

Iranian state media confirmed multiple explosions during the attack but said no damage occurred to the island’s oil facilities. However, Iran’s armed forces warned that any strike on its energy infrastructure would lead to retaliation against oil and gas installations belonging to the United States and its allies in the Gulf region.

The confrontation comes amid growing tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, where shipping disruptions have raised fears of a wider energy crisis. Roughly 20% of the world’s oil supply passes through the narrow waterway.

Analysts describe Kharg Island as the “backbone” of Iran’s oil trade, noting that Iran earned about $53 billion in oil export revenues in 2025, accounting for roughly 11% of its GDP.

Oil prices have surged above $100 per barrel since the escalation of conflict, while global markets remain volatile due to fears of further disruption to energy supplies.

Meanwhile, the United Nations Security Council has called on Iran to halt threats to regional shipping routes and urged de-escalation as tensions between Iran, the United States, and their allies continue to rise.