A satellite image shows an oil terminal in Kharg Island, Iran, on February 25, 2026.
2026 Planet Labs PBC | via reuters
US President Donald Trump said on Friday that he has instructed the US Central Command to bomb military targets on Iran’s Kharg Island.
The president wrote, “Shortly ago, at my direction, the United States Central Command carried out one of the most powerful bombing attacks in the history of the Middle East, and completely destroyed every military target in Iran’s crown jewel, Kharg Island.” a true social post.
He said they “chose not to destroy the oil infrastructure on the island.”
“However, if Iran or anyone else did anything to interfere with the free and safe passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz, I would immediately reconsider this decision,” Trump wrote.
Less than an hour later, the president once again posted on Truth, saying: “Iran’s plan was to take over the entire Middle East and completely destroy Israel. Just like Iran, those plans are now over!”
Speaking late Friday, Trump told reporters before boarding Air Force One for Florida that his military operation would last “as long as necessary.” When reporters asked him how long the war would last, he said, “I can’t tell you that. I mean, I have my own idea.” He added, “I won’t give you the time but we are well ahead of schedule.”
Journalists also asked him what he meant by “unconditional surrender”, to which he replied: “To me it means very simply that we are in a position of dominance that no one has seen before, whether they are able to say the words or not….”
And in a Truth Social post earlier Saturday, Trump said: “The Fake News Media hates to report what a good job the United States military has done against Iran, which is a total loser and wants a deal – but not a deal I will accept!”
Analysts have said the prospect of a US move to seize Kharg Island, a strategically important hub often referred to as Iran’s “oil lifeline”, is considered extremely high risk from both a geopolitical and economic perspective.
The five-mile-long coral island, which lies about 15 miles off the coast of mainland Iran in the waters of the northern Persian Gulf, has remained untouched by nearly two weeks of US and Israeli-led strikes against Iran.
The Trump administration has discussed seizing the island, according to one axios report on March 7, citing four unnamed sources with knowledge of the discussions.
White House officials have previously said they expect oil prices to drop dramatically after Operation Epic Fury ends, while White House press secretary Carolyn Leavitt has said the president is “wise” keeping all options on the table.
Kharag Island is in the global spotlight as it is considered one of Iran’s most sensitive economic targets. The terminal handles approximately 90% of the country’s crude oil exports and has a loading capacity of approximately 7 million barrels per day.
Analysts say any attempt to attack or seize it would require ground military action, which the US appears reluctant to undertake. An attack would also likely lead to a sustained rise in already rising oil prices.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had previously ruled out deploying US ground forces to Iran, but said the US would not yield to any pressure on the country.
on friday, brent crude oil futures It closed above $100 a barrel for the second consecutive day, and the price of the global oil benchmark is up more than 40% since the Iran war began.
– CNBC Riya Bhattacharjee Contributed to the reporting.