President Donald Trump has announced that the US military has destroyed all the “targets” on Iran’s Kharg Island.
According to DW, Trump said the United States has "totally obliterated every military target" on Iran's critical hub that handles nearly all of the country's crude oil exports.
Trump wrote on Truth Social, “For reasons of decency, I have chosen NOT to wipe out the Oil Infrastructure on the Island. However, should Iran, or anyone else, do anything to interfere with the Free and Safe Passage of Ships through the Strait of Hormuz, I will immediately reconsider this decision.”
Asked when the US Navy will start escorting tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, Trump told reporters on Friday, March 13, "It will happen soon."
Hours after Trump’s announcement, the Iranian media reported that the armed forces said any attack on Iran’s oil and energy infrastructure will lead to attacks on energy infrastructure owned by oil companies cooperating with the United States in the region.
It is worth noting that experts told The Guardian earlier this week that military actions against Kharg Island are likely to increase oil prices, already surging since the war began on 28 February.
Neil Quilliam of the Chatham House thinktank said, “We may see the $120 a barrel price we saw on Monday heading to the $150 if Kharg were attacked. It’s too vital for global energy markets.”
US officials have said that capturing Kharg Island remains an option as the conflict in the Middle East intensifies.
