Iran threatens US-linked oil sites after Kharg Island strikes; says oil facilities unharmed

The warning comes shortly after remarks by US President Donald Trump, who said American forces had carried out heavy strikes on military targets on Kharg Island, which handles almost all of Iran’s crude exports.

• Iran threatens to destroy US-linked oil facilities if attacked
• US bombed military targets on Iran's Kharg Island export hub
• Brent crude prices surged over 42% since the conflict began

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Iran has threatened to target oil and energy infrastructure linked to the U.S. if its own facilities are attacked, escalating tensions after U.S. strikes on the country’s main export hub, Kharg Island.

In a statement carried by Iranian media early Saturday morning, the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters said energy installations in the region belonging to companies that cooperate with the U.S. or have American shareholders could be targeted in retaliation. Such facilities would be “immediately destroyed and turned into a pile of ashes” if Iranian infrastructure comes under attack, the command warned.

The threat followed U.S. strikes on Kharg Island, which handles roughly 90% of Iran’s crude exports.

U.S. President Donald Trump, in the wee hours, said American forces had bombed “every military target” on the island in what he described as one of the most powerful raids in the Middle East. Writing on Truth Social, he said the targets had been “totally obliterated”.

Iranian state media, however, disputed the extent of the damage. The state-affiliated Fars News Agency reported that more than 15 explosions were heard across the island, with thick smoke rising from several sites during the attacks.

Field sources cited by the agency said the strikes targeted military installations, including air defence positions, the Joshen Sea Base, an airport control tower and a helicopter hangar.

Despite the bombardment, the report said Iranian forces resumed operations on the island within about an hour and that oil facilities remained intact.

Trump said the U.S. had deliberately avoided striking the island’s oil infrastructure but warned the decision could change if Iran interferes with shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for global energy supplies. He also indicated the U.S. Navy could begin escorting tankers through the waterway, where maritime traffic has slowed sharply amid the conflict.

Meanwhile, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Washington would intensify strikes on Iranian targets. The Pentagon says U.S. and Israeli forces have hit more than 15,000 targets in Iran over the past two weeks, while Israel’s military reports about 7,600 strikes largely aimed at Iran’s missile programme.

The conflict has increasingly spilled across the region. Iran launched another wave of drones and missiles toward Israel and the Gulf states, with explosions reported in Doha. Qatar’s defence ministry said its forces intercepted missiles targeting the country.

Saudi Arabia said it shot down dozens of drones, while Turkey reported NATO forces intercepted a ballistic missile launched from Iran, the third such interception since the war began.

In Lebanon, Israeli strikes continued against the Iran-backed group Hezbollah. Lebanese authorities say Israeli attacks have killed at least 773 people in the country, including 12 medical personnel in a strike on a healthcare centre in the south.

The war began on February 28 with a U.S.-Israeli campaign against Iran that killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. His son, Mojtaba Khamenei, was later named the new supreme leader but has not appeared publicly and is reported to have been wounded.

The fighting has shaken global energy markets, with Brent crude prices surging more than 42% since the war began and remaining above $100 a barrel on Friday.

Inside Iran, authorities have imposed an internet blackout and warned of a tougher crackdown on anti-government protests. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees estimates that up to 3.2 million people have been displaced within the country since the conflict started.