Trump weighs sending troops to capture Kharg Island: Why the ‘crown jewel of Iran’ is now a key war target

This handout satellite image taken by 2026 Planet Labs PBC shows a view of Iran's Kharg Island, which hosts the country's main crude export terminal and is responsible for the overwhelming majority of its oil shipments to the world, about 30 kilometres south of the mainland in the north of the Gulf, on February 22, 2026. (Photo by 2026 Planet Labs PBC / AFP)

Kharg Island, Iran’s key oil export hub, is central in US-Israel-Iran tensions. Trump may consider seizing it if Iran blocks Gulf oil shipments, risking major escalation. The island handles 90% of Iran’s crude exports, making it a strategic vulnerability.

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Kharg Island, Iran’s most important oil export hub, has emerged as a central point of attention in the escalating conflict between the United States, Israel and Iran. According to a report by Axios, US President Donald Trump is considering the possibility of seizing the island if Iran continues to block oil shipments through the Persian Gulf.

The report, citing US officials, said Trump may order the seizure of the island if tankers remain trapped in the Gulf because of Tehran’s blockade. Such a move would place American troops on Iranian territory and risk a major escalation in the conflict, including possible retaliatory attacks by Iran on oil facilities across the region, particularly in Saudi Arabia.

Despite the growing tensions, Israel has indicated that a ground invasion of Iran is not currently being considered. Israel’s ambassador to India, Reuven Azar, said the aim of the US and Israel is not to occupy Iran but to pressure the Iranian government through internal and external pressure.

Why the US is focusing on Kharg Island

The renewed focus on Kharg Island is closely linked to the global energy crisis triggered by Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.

The blockade has restricted a major share of the world’s crude oil shipments and driven global oil prices sharply higher. According to a source familiar with the situation cited by Axios, as long as the blockade remains in place and Gulf oil exports are constrained, Trump cannot end the war even if he wants to.

Washington has been working to build an international coalition to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Trump has said such a coalition could be announced soon.

At the same time, the United States has intensified strikes on Iranian targets along the Persian Gulf coast and on Kharg Island itself.

Trump said on Friday that he ordered strikes on military installations on the island while sparing its oil infrastructure. Speaking to NBC News later, he suggested further strikes could follow.

The president described Kharg Island as a “crown jewel” for Iran and said every military target there had been “totally obliterated”.

US officials told Axios that Trump is attracted to the idea of capturing the island because it could cripple Iran’s economy.

“It would be an economic knockout of the regime,” one official said, explaining that controlling the island would essentially cut off Tehran’s main source of revenue.

However, the official acknowledged that such a move carries serious risks. “There are big risks. There are big rewards. The president isn't there yet, and we're not saying he will be.”

A critical hub for Iran’s oil exports

Kharg Island lies about 30 kilometres off Iran’s southern coast in the Persian Gulf. Despite its relatively small size, it plays an outsized role in the country’s energy sector.

According to a note by JP Morgan cited in multiple reports, roughly 90 percent of Iran’s crude exports pass through Kharg Island.

Reuters reported that the island hosts several oil storage tanks and loading terminals capable of handling some of the world’s largest oil tankers. Because much of Iran’s coastline is shallow, Kharg became the country’s primary oil export terminal during major oil expansion projects in the 1960s and 1970s.

Even after Iran built alternative export facilities such as the Jask terminal in the Gulf of Oman in 2021, Kharg has remained the backbone of its oil trade.

Reuters described the island as the centre of Iran’s oil export system, with infrastructure that allows millions of barrels of crude to be shipped each day.

The New York Times reported that the island’s facilities include vast storage tanks, pipelines and loading docks that handle the majority of the country’s oil exports.

A major vulnerability for Iran

Because of its central role in Iran’s oil industry, analysts say Kharg Island represents one of Tehran’s biggest strategic vulnerabilities.

JP Morgan described the island as “a critical vulnerability” for Iran’s economy. The bank noted that revenue from oil exports handled through Kharg is a major source of funding for the Iranian government and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

“It is a cornerstone of Iran's economy and a major source of revenue for the Iranian Revolutionary Guards,” JP Morgan said.

This economic significance is one of the reasons US officials believe targeting or capturing the island could severely weaken Iran’s financial ability to sustain the war.

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham echoed that argument after reports emerged about Trump’s interest in Kharg.

“Seldom in warfare does an enemy provide you a single target like Kharg Island that could dramatically alter the outcome of the conflict,” Graham wrote on X. “He who controls Kharg Island controls the destiny of this war.”

Risks of a ground operation

While Kharg Island may be an attractive target from a strategic perspective, analysts warn that seizing it would be extremely risky.

According to BBC and Reuters, placing US troops on the island could provoke immediate Iranian retaliation against energy infrastructure across the Gulf.

Iran has previously threatened to target oil facilities in neighbouring countries if its own exports are disrupted.

Such attacks could further destabilise global energy markets and drag additional countries into the conflict.

For now, US officials say no final decision has been made. However, as the war intensifies and the blockade of Gulf shipping continues, Kharg Island is likely to remain at the centre of Washington’s strategic calculations.