(Image source from: aa.com.tr)
United States President Donald Trump is said to be contemplating options to take control of or blockade Iran’s Kharg Island as a means to persuade Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, as reported by Axios on Friday. The report indicates that this strategy is part of a larger initiative by the Trump administration to challenge Iran’s dominance over this crucial shipping route, through which approximately twenty percent of the globe’s oil supply travels. “We need around a month to weaken the Iranians further with strikes, take the island, and then gain leverage for negotiations," a source knowledgeable about the White House’s thoughts shared with the news outlet. Should this action be approved, it will necessitate a considerable escalation in US military presence. Three separate Marine units are currently being deployed to the area, and officials reveal that the White House and Pentagon are contemplating sending additional troops, although a final choice has not yet been reached.
“He wants Hormuz to be open. If taking Kharg Island is necessary to achieve that, then it will happen. If he opts for a coastal invasion, that will occur too. However, a decision on this has not been finalized," a high-ranking official in the administration told Axios, while another emphasized that sending ground troops is still being evaluated. Kharg Island is located about 30 kilometers off the coast of Iran and plays a vital role in the nation's oil export system, handling about ninety percent of its crude oil shipments. It was hit by US airstrikes last Saturday. In the meantime, experts caution that taking the island could heighten tensions and involve serious dangers. Rear Admiral (Ret.) Mark Montgomery expressed to Axios that seizing Kharg could put US soldiers at risk without ensuring that Iran would reopen the strait under conditions favorable to Washington. “If we take Kharg Island, they’ll cut off production on their end. It’s not as if we control their oil output," he remarked.
Montgomery proposed that other options, like using naval escorts to safeguard tankers, might be more effective after conducting additional operations to weaken Iran’s capabilities.
