Washington: President Trump’s administration is seriously considering a daring military operation — occupying or blockading Iran’s Kharg Island — to force Tehran to restore access through the Strait of Hormuz, as disruptions drive global energy costs to new heights. The strategy aims to break Iran’s control over this critical shipping chokepoint, Axios reported, citing four sources close to the discussions.
Just 15 miles off Iran’s coast, Kharg Island stands as the nerve centre for nearly 90% of the nation’s crude oil exports, making it indispensable to international oil markets.
Officials are under no illusions about the dangers. Seizing the island would likely follow a surge of US airstrikes designed to degrade Iran’s defenses near the strait, potentially requiring significant additional troop deployments. Multiple Marine Expeditionary Units are already en route to the region, with plans for further reinforcements taking shape.
“He wants Hormuz open. If he has to take Kharg Island to make it happen, that’s going to happen. If he decides to have a coastal invasion, that’s going to happen. But that decision hasn’t been made,” Axios quoted a senior official.
“We need about a month to weaken the Iranians more with strikes, take the island and … use it for negotiations,” the report added, citing a source familiar with White House deliberations.
The White House and Pentagon are weighing substantial troop increases to bolster any such mission, following recent US strikes on military targets at Kharg that deliberately spared oil infrastructure.
Sen. Tom Cotton, chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, commended Trump as “prudent” for keeping a ground invasion on the table, while not explicitly backing it. He portrayed Iran’s Hormuz closure as a sign of desperation, noting that Trump has “mountains of plans” to counter the move.
Yet experts remain skeptical of the plan’s potential success. Taking Kharg Island wouldn’t necessarily bend Tehran’s will, as it provides no leverage over Iran’s oil fields deeper inland.
Rear Admiral (Ret’d) Mark Montgomery cautioned that the operation could expose US forces to grave risks for negligible strategic returns. “If we seize Kharg Island, they’re going to turn off the spigot on the other end. It’s not like we control their oil production,” he stated, per the Axios report.
