[ May 1, 2026 ]
“Orphan Pearl of the Persian Gulf.”
Kharg Island is the nerve center of Iran’s oil production. The depot is the beating heart of the Iranian oil industry, storing and loading most of its crude exports
The depot is the beating heart of the Iranian oil industry, storing and loading most of its crude exports.
ADVERTISEMENT
The U.S. military bombed Iran’s most strategic economic asset, Kharg Island. The tiny spot of land in the northern Persian Gulf is the launch point for 90% of the country’s oil exports.
Despite its size, it is one of the most critical pieces of Iran’s energy infrastructure.
The US striking this small but vital island in the northern Gulf is like going for Iran’s economic jugular vein.
Ninety percent of Iran’s crude oil comes through a terminal on the island – transported through pipes from the mainland.
Very large tankers – capable of carrying up to 85 million gallons of oil – are able to come up to the island’s long jetties to pick up the oil. The island’s coast is close enough to deep waters, unlike the shallower coast of the mainland.
ADVERTISEMENT
The tankers then come back down the Gulf and out of the Strait of Hormuz, to China – the main buyer of Iranian oil.
A terminal for the export of Iranian oil, the island provides a major source of revenue for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
President Trump said he spared oil facilities in the bombardment, which went after military targets only. But he warned he would reconsider that decision if Iran didn’t open the Strait of Hormuz to international shipping traffic.
“Moments ago, at my direction, the United States Central Command executed one of the most powerful bombing raids in the History of the Middle East, and totally obliterated every MILITARY target in Iran’s crown jewel, Kharg Island… Iran has NO ability to defend anything that we… pic.twitter.com/2iEzCOyA3P
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) March 13, 2026
BREAKING: Trump releases footage of US bombing on Iran’s Kharg Island, which handles 90% of the nation’s oil exports pic.twitter.com/i6liQnoNAG
— Rapid Report (@RapidReport2025) March 14, 2026
US obliterates ‘every MILITARY target’ on Iran’s oil-critical Kharg Island in historic bombing raid, Trump says
By Victor Nava, NY Post, March 13, 2026, 7:18 p.m. ET
ADVERTISEMENTMilitary targets on Iran’s Kharg Island – the loading site for most of the Islamic Republic’s oil exports – were “totally obliterated” by US airstrikes during a historic bombing raid in the Persian Gulf, President Trump announced Friday.
🚨 BREAKING: President Trump announces that just MOMENTS AGO, the US military carried out its most POWERFUL BOMBING RAIDS "in the HISTORY of the Middle East"
Per Trump, the military "totally OBLITERATED every MILITARY target in Iran’s crown jewel, Kharg Island. Our Weapons are… pic.twitter.com/k0HmEjXtcp
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) March 13, 2026
“Moments ago, at my direction, the United States Central Command executed one of the most powerful bombing raids in the History of the Middle East, and totally obliterated every MILITARY target in Iran’s crown jewel, Kharg Island,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
The island, located about 16 miles off the Iranian coast, is one-third the size of Manhattan and controls 90% of Iranian crude oil exports.
Trump said the island’s oil infrastructure was not targeted but may be hit in future strikes, if the Iranian regime doesn’t allow ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.
Satellite view of Iran’s Kharg Island, home to its main crude export terminal, surrounded by the Gulf.
“Our Weapons are the most powerful and sophisticated that the World has ever known but, for reasons of decency, I have chosen NOT to wipe out the Oil Infrastructure on the Island,” the president said.
“However, should Iran, or anyone else, do anything to interfere with the Free and Safe Passage of Ships through the Strait of Hormuz, I will immediately reconsider this decision,” Trump warned.
The two-week conflict, dubbed Operation Epic Fury, hadn’t impacted the island — with Iran exporting more fuel than before the war started, according to the Wall Street Journal – until Friday’s strikes.
The US and Israel are both believed to be keen on seizing Kharg at some point in the war, The Post reported earlier this week.
Experts have told The Post that taking control of the oil-critical island could spell doom for Iran.
“Take it out, and this means cutting off the military budget in addition to pulling the plug on the basic services that keep Iranian society functioning,” said Mohammed Soliman, a senior fellow at the DC-based Middle East Institute.
“Losing Kharg for even a few weeks will create a security and societal crisis in Iran at the same time. Tehran doesn’t get to choose which one to deal with first,” said Soliman.
Former administration official John Ullyot added that seizing Kharg and its oil facilities would “cripple the regime.”
Trump, however, downplayed his interest in taking the island in an interview with Fox News Radio host Brian Kilmeade that aired Friday morning.
“It’s not high on the list, but it’s one of so many different things, and I can change my mind in seconds,” the president said.
Trump chided the “Fox & Friends” co-host for even bringing up the question – hours before he attacked the island.
“Let’s say I was going to do it, or let’s say I wasn’t going to do it. What would I tell you? ‘Oh, yes, Brian, I’m thinking about doing it, let me let you know what time and when it’ll take place.’… It’s sort of a foolish question,” he said.
In his announcement of the bombing run, Trump boasted that Iran “has NO ability to defend anything” the US military chooses to attack.
“During my First Term, and currently, I rebuilt our Military into the Most Lethal, Powerful, and Effective Force, by far, anywhere in the World,” the president said. “Iran has NO ability to defend anything that we want to attack — There is nothing they can do about it!”
He maintained that Iran “will NEVER have a nuclear weapon, nor will it have the ability to threaten the United States of America, the Middle East or, for that matter, the World!”
Trump further called on members of Iran’s military and anyone with ties to the regime to “lay down their arms, and save what’s left of their country, which isn’t much!”
The Truth Must be Told
Your contribution supports independent journalism
Please take a moment to consider this. Now, more than ever, people are reading Geller Report for news they won't get anywhere else. But advertising revenues have all but disappeared. Google Adsense is the online advertising monopoly and they have banned us. Social media giants like Facebook and Twitter have blocked and shadow-banned our accounts. But we won't put up a paywall. Because never has the free world needed independent journalism more.
Everyone who reads our reporting knows the Geller Report covers the news the media won't. We cannot do our ground-breaking report without your support. We must continue to report on the global jihad and the left's war on freedom. Our readers’ contributions make that possible.
Geller Report's independent, investigative journalism takes a lot of time, money and hard work to produce. But we do it because we believe our work is critical in the fight for freedom and because it is your fight, too.
Please contribute here.
or
Make a monthly commitment to support The Geller Report – choose the option that suits you best.
ADVERTISEMENTQuick note: We cannot do this without your support. Fact. Our work is made possible by you and only you. We receive no grants, government handouts, or major funding.Subscribe to Geller Report newsletter here— it’s free and it’s essential NOW when informed decision making and opinion is essential to America's survival. Share our posts on your social channels and with your email contacts. Fight the great fight.
Follow Pamela Geller on Gettr. I am there. click here.
Follow Pamela Geller on Trump's social media platform, Truth Social. It's open and free.
Remember, YOU make the work possible. If you can, please contribute to Geller Report.
Join The Conversation. Leave a Comment.
We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spammy or unhelpful, click the ... symbol to the right of the comment to let us know. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.
