Kharg Island is located in the northern Persian Gulf, about 20 km off the Iranian coast, and is home to Iran's main oil export terminal.
Trump's war in Iran continues: Why Kharg Island is a target and key to the future of oil
Trump posted last night that the U.S. military will attack Kharg Island. Trump has said over 40 times that the war in Iran is over, but this latest threat is proof that the conflict is still going on.
Trump is frantic and mentally ill with dementia. His crazy post is an attempt to distract from the breaking news of credible allegations that he tortured his underage rape victims. It's from the Haberman / Swan book and NYT reporting on a Situation Room meeting where Trump's top… pic.twitter.com/WVJJvH6KWx
— Tom Joseph (@TomJChicago) June 11, 2026
Kharg is often described as Iran’s Achilles’ heel. The island is small, exposed, and critically important. Losing it would mean economic collapse for Iran, yet capturing and holding it would be extremely costly for any foreign power. For that reason, Kharg has become one of the most dangerous strategic points on the planet, where a single miscalculation could trigger a global energy crisis.
Trump escalated his threats against Iran on Truth Social this morning, announcing that the US intends to strike the country Thursday night and take control of Kharg Island, a strip of land home to Iran’s most important oil facility.
— Amee Vanderpool (@girlsreallyrule) June 11, 2026
More: https://t.co/YAPGHCEx8Q pic.twitter.com/ORwIr633Jm
Located a little more than 12 miles from Iran’s shoreline in the northern Persian Gulf, the island handles the vast majority of the country’s oil exports. About 90 percent of Iran’s crude oil leaves the country through this small island. The Kharg oil terminal is managed by the National Iranian Oil Terminals Company (OTC).
Joe Kent is warning President Trump that any attempt to seize Kharg Island could turn into a disaster for U.S. troops.
— Shadow of Ezra (@ShadowofEzra) June 11, 2026
Kent argues that Iran has not yet used its full military capabilities against American forces and warns that occupying the island would leave U.S. troops… pic.twitter.com/i5tC23bnWo
The facility has a loading capacity of up to 7 million barrels per day and can receive as many as 10 oil tankers at once. Any disruption at Kharg would therefore affect not only Iran but also its main buyers, including China, the world’s largest oil importer.
Kharg is not just a point on the map. It is a highly specialized industrial complex. In addition to OTC’s facilities, the island has pipelines linking it to inland oil fields, storage depots and tanks capable of holding millions of barrels, docks for very large crude carriers (VLCCs), and air defense systems and radar installations set up by Iran.
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