Trump says U.S. attacked Iran's Kharg Island, destroying military targets.
President Donald Trump said on Truth Social on the 13th that U.S. forces under Central Command carried out what he described as "one of the most powerful bombings in Middle East history," destroying all military targets on Iran’s Kharg Island. He claimed, "Our weapons are the most powerful and sophisticated the world has ever known, but out of dignity I will not destroy the island’s oil infrastructure."
Trump added that if Iran or anyone else tries to disrupt shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, he would "reconsider this decision immediately." He also asserted that Iran will never possess nuclear weapons or the ability to threaten the United States, the Middle East, or the world, and urged Iran’s military and those tied to the regime to lay down their arms.
The remarks came after Trump spoke to reporters earlier in the day. The attack on Kharg Island is described as part of actions aimed at reopening navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.
Kharg Island has long served as Iran’s oil export terminal. Since the 1960s, when American oil company Amoco built facilities there, the terminal has been capable of moving up to about seven million barrels of crude oil per day. To the south, numerous storage tanks sit close together; the coast features deep berths to accommodate large tankers, worker housing, and a runway linking the island to the Iranian mainland. An underwater pipeline connects the terminal to Iran’s major oil fields.
The island’s export facilities sit at the heart of Iran’s oil exports, and Kharg’s operation is closely tied to the economic and geopolitical dynamics of the Persian Gulf. The Strait of Hormuz, through which a substantial portion of the world’s oil transits, is a focal point in U.S.-Iran security considerations and global energy markets.
Officials did not provide independent confirmation of the attack in the available briefing, and the remarks reflect a single account from the president. The broader implications touch on U.S. policy in the region, global oil supply chains, and financial markets sensitive to Middle East flare-ups.