The strikes on Iran’s Kharg Island seem to be a fantasy Trump has been harboring for close to four decades

On Friday, President Donald Trump announced through Truth Social that the United States had just “obliterated every military target in Iran’s crown jewel, Kharg Island.” The next day, he told NBC News that the military might hit the site “a few more times just for fun.” Like me, you might be appalled at this random escalation, but this emphasis on Kharg might be because he’s been eyeing Kharg Island as a potential target for nearly 40 years.

Per Newsweek, while promoting his book The Art of the Deal in the United Kingdom in 1988, Trump discussed U.S.-Iran relations after the 1979 Iranian Revolution and hostage crisis. Mulling hypothetical military actions, he told The Guardian at the time, “They’ve been beating us psychologically, making us look a bunch of fools. One bullet shot at one of our men or ships, and I’d do a number on Kharg Island. I’d go in and take it.” 

Kharg Island isn’t just any target; it’s a small coral island about 21 miles off Iran’s coast and serves as the primary terminal for the nation’s oil exports. It’s essentially Iran’s symbolic economic artery. The island has a strategic location in the Persian Gulf, hosting massive storage tanks and pipelines where large tankers dock to transport oil from Iran’s vast reserves to global markets, especially East Asia.

I hate to say it, but considering Iran is playing an economic strategy, Kharg is a great target

Since the war began, Iran has exported 13.7 million barrels from the island, with multiple tankers seen on satellite imagery loading at Kharg. Experts have emphasized that the island is critical for funding Iran’s government and military.

Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz as U.S. and Israeli strikes intensified this week, effectively halting cargo traffic through the narrow maritime pathway that carries a fifth of the world’s oil. Although they did provide countries with an option, if they wanted to use the Strait. This move sent oil prices soaring to over $100 a barrel earlier this week, marking the first time in four years it has crossed that threshold. 

Trump has grown increasingly frustrated about Iran’s ability to restrict traffic in the Strait of Hormuz. So while he has had Kharg in his sights for a while, he has used those strikes to try to get Iran to back off from the Strait. Not that they heeded the warning, promising to retaliate against any strikes against oil infrastructure by hitting US interests across the Gulf. 

This is despite Trump’s claims that they “have already destroyed 100% of Iran’s Military capability.” Trump has since called for other nations to help secure the Strait of Hormuz. While no one seems to have responded yet, France is already on their way. It should be noted that they aren’t going to help the US or Iran, just to protect civilian ships.