A prominent energy security expert has cautioned that an attack by the U.S. on Kharg Island, which manages most of Iran’s crude oil exports and was previously mentioned by President Donald Trump as a possible target, might lead to wider regional instability and assaults on energy infrastructure.
According to reports, the Trump administration is considering various options, among them a direct strike on Kharg Island.
During a discussion about deploying ground troops as part of Operation Epic Fury on “The Claman Countdown,” retired Army Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmitt also informed Liz Claman that an attack on Kharg could be imminent.
“I don’t anticipate a substantial deployment of ground forces, except for the possibility of an operation against Kharg Island,” he stated on March 9.
Trump’s focus on the island originates from a 1988 interview where he purportedly proposed targeting Kharg as a response to Iranian provocations, based on reports.
“I would take a tough stance against Iran. They’ve been psychologically defeating us, making us appear foolish,” Trump remarked. “If a single bullet is fired at any of our personnel or vessels, I would strike Kharg Island hard. I would move in and seize it.”
Sara Vakhshouri, a global energy analyst, stated that attacking Kharg directly corresponds with Washington’s “energy dominance” doctrine, and made these comments as U.S. and Israeli military operations in Iran unsettle energy markets and interfere with oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz.
“Kharg presently serves as a strategic limiting factor in the conflict,” said Vakhshouri, founder and president of SVB Energy International, in an interview with Digital.
“Disrupting Iran’s primary export terminal would probably cause a significant surge in oil prices, market turbulence, and regional counterattacks on energy infrastructure.”
She added that Kharg’s importance extends beyond tactical considerations to strategic ones, contending that it aligns perfectly with Trump’s frequently promoted doctrine.
This policy, which was fundamental to Trump’s first term, emphasized maximizing American oil and gas output, increasing exports, and using U.S. energy power as an instrument of geopolitical influence.
“However, when discussing Kharg, the crucial element is that it conforms to the U.S. energy dominance framework,” Vakhshouri noted, proposing that maintaining the island as a potential leverage point—instead of attacking it right away—might represent a more prudent strategic choice.
Kharg is located in the northern Persian Gulf, approximately 15 miles from Iran’s coast. Vessels departing from the terminal navigate through the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow bottleneck that manages roughly twenty percent of worldwide oil commerce.
Approximately 90 to 95 percent of Iran’s crude oil and petroleum product exports flow through Kharg, establishing it as the regime’s main source of oil income.
“There are possibly 15 to 20 million barrels in storage, with approximately 1.5 to 3 million barrels per day being shipped through the terminal under sanctions, while the export capacity reaches up to 5 million barrels daily,” Vakhshouri stated.
“Should the export capacity from Kharg be eliminated, this limiting factor could weaken, transferring the threat toward additional attacks on regional energy installations and, more critically, extended interruptions to oil shipments and vessel movement through the Strait of Hormuz,” she cautioned.
“Establishing a price limit on such a situation would be heavily contingent on Iran’s responsive measures,” Vakhshouri added.
“Nevertheless, the definite result would be extended market instability and unpredictability, fueled by concerns about additional reprisals or a prolonged pattern of disruption.”
Digital has contacted the White House seeking comment.