ALBAWABA - Senior American officials have informed their counterparts in Israel and other countries in recent days that the United States is considering to launch a ground operation to seize Kharg Island in Iran.
According to two sources familiar with the matter, as reported by The Jerusalem Post on Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump is planning to take control of the Kharg Island by sending American troops on the ground if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed.
The Washington Post suggested that the growing U.S. military buildup in the Middle East, coupled with Trump's threat to "destroy" Iran's energy infrastructure, has paved the way for a scenario that U.S. and Israeli security circles consider a possible end to the war: a battle for control of the Strait of Hormuz.
Reopening the Strait of Hormuz, which is a vital artery for global energy supplies, has become a central objective in a war that no longer seems capable of achieving its initial goals, such as toppling the Iranian regime or permanently preventing Tehran from developing nuclear weapons.
This handout satellite image taken by 2026 Planet Labs PBC shows a view of Iran's Kharg Island. Photo by - / 2026 PLANET LABS PBC / AFP
Why is Iran's Kharg Island important?
Kharg Island is a tiny rocky outcrop just 24km off the coast of Iran. However, despite its small size, the island is one of the most critical pieces of the country's energy infrastructure.
According to the BBC, 90 percent of Iran's crude oil comes through a terminal on the island, transported through pipes from the mainland. Kharg Island hosts Iran's main crude export terminal and accounts for the overwhelming majority of its oil shipments worldwide.
Very large tankers - capable of carrying up to 85 million gallons of oil - are able to come up to the island's long jetties to pick up the oil.
Reuters reported that speculation suggests the U.S. military is preparing to deploy about 2,500 Marines and a warship to the region.
