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President Donald Trump said connected Friday (March 14, 2026) that U.S. forces person “obliterated” subject targets connected Iran's Kharg Island and warned that the lipid infrastructure determination could beryllium next.
The tiny land successful the Persian Gulf is the superior terminal done which Iran's lipid exports pass. Mr. Trump announced the enactment successful a Truth Social station arsenic helium prepared to alert to Florida for the weekend.
“The United States Central Command executed 1 of the astir almighty bombing raids successful the History of the Middle East, and wholly obliterated each MILITARY people successful Iran’s crown jewel, Kharg Island,” Trump said connected societal media.
“I person chosen NOT to hitch retired the Oil Infrastructure connected the Island. However, should Iran, oregon anyone else, bash thing to interfere with the Free and Safe Passage of Ships done the Strait of Hormuz, I volition instantly reconsider.”
The island, located astir 30 kilometers (19 miles) disconnected the Iranian mainland, handles astir 90 percent of Iran’s crude exports, according to a caller J.P. Morgan note.
Any determination connected the territory, which is astir one-third the size of Manhattan, would person swift repercussions, experts said.
“A nonstop onslaught would instantly halt the bulk of Iran’s crude exports, apt triggering terrible retaliation successful the Strait of Hormuz oregon against determination vigor infrastructure,” J.P. Morgan said.
Iranian strikes person each but halted maritime postulation successful the Strait of Hormuz — done which a 5th of planetary crude lipid and liquefied earthy state usually walk — and person besides impacted lipid infrastructure successful different Gulf states.
Mr. Trump connected Friday (March 13, 2026) said the U.S. Navy would commencement escorting tankers done the straits “very soon” to reconstruct lipid exports arsenic helium struggles to tackle soaring U.S. state prices.
Kharg underwent cardinal developments during Iran’s lipid enlargement successful the 1960s and 1970s, with overmuch of the country’s seashore excessively shallow for supertankers.
With inputs from AP, AFP
