US President Donald Trump is reportedly considering a bold military move to seize Kharg Island, Iran's vital oil export hub in the Persian Gulf. This scrubby outpost handles nearly all of Tehran's crude shipments, making it a prime target amid an escalating energy crisis sparked by the ongoing Middle East war, reported NDTV.

According to US officials cited by Axios, Trump views the island as a potential "economic knockout" for the Iranian regime, effectively starving it of revenue.

The idea gains traction as Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz chokes global oil supplies, bottling up tankers and driving up prices worldwide.

Sources familiar with the deliberations told Axios that Trump cannot swiftly end the conflict while Gulf oil remains restricted. He has already been assembling an international coalition to reopen the strait, with an announcement possibly imminent this week.

Recent US strikes have intensified focus on Kharg. Trump ordered attacks on military installations there last Friday, claiming every target was "totally obliterated" while sparing oil facilities. The following day, he quipped to NBC that the US "may hit it a few more times just for fun," underscoring his aggressive stance. Videos show over 90 Iranian targets on the island and nearby shores destroyed in these precision operations.

Seizing the island would require US boots on the ground, a high-stakes gamble. It risks provoking Iranian retaliation against oil infrastructure across the Gulf, especially in Saudi Arabia, America's key regional partner. Gulf monarchies rely heavily on secure energy exports, and any disruption could cascade into broader instability.

Israel, Washington's staunchest Middle East ally, appears reluctant to commit ground forces. Ambassador to India Reuven Azar recently stated that neither the US nor Jerusalem plans to invade Iran outright. Instead, their strategy emphasises internal pressure to foster regime change from within, avoiding direct occupation.

Kharg Island's strategic value cannot be overstated. Situated just 30 kilometres off Iran's mainland, it processes about 90 per cent of the country's crude exports, per a recent JP Morgan analysis. Developed in the 1960s and 1970s to accommodate super tankers in otherwise shallow coastal waters, it remains Iran's economic cornerstone despite efforts to diversify.

Tehran opened the Jask terminal beyond the Hormuz chokepoint in 2021 to reduce vulnerability. Yet Kharg endures as a "critical vulnerability," heavily tied to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which draws substantial revenue from its operations. Controlling it could dictate the war's trajectory, as noted by Republican Senator Lindsey Graham.

Graham, a vocal Iran hawk, praised Trump's strikes on X, calling Kharg a rare "single target" that could annihilate Iran's economy. "He who controls Kharg Island controls the destiny of this war," he declared, applauding the shift to offensive operations on the island.

For Trump, the rewards are immense: defunding Tehran could force capitulation without a full-scale invasion. Officials caution, however, that "big risks" loom, including escalation with Iran’s proxies and potential oil market chaos. The president has not committed, but the Axios report signals serious internal deliberations.

This comes against a backdrop of surging global oil prices, with China's panic over supply disruptions highlighting Kharg's ripple effects. Beijing, a major Iranian oil buyer, faces fuel shortages that could exacerbate its economic woes. For India, reliant on Gulf imports, prolonged closure of Hormuz threatens energy security and inflation.

Broader geopolitical fault lines are evident. Iran's blockade aims to leverage its geography, but US dominance in naval power and air strikes tilts the balance. Trump's "America First" doctrine prioritises swift victory, potentially sidelining allies wary of entanglement.

Should troops land on Kharg, extraction of oil under US control could stabilise markets while bleeding Iran dry. Yet IRGC fortifications and missile threats complicate any operation. Historical precedents, like the 1980s Tanker War, remind that Gulf interventions often spiral.

Trump's rhetoric frames Kharg as Iran's "Crown Jewel," a symbol of regime weakness. Allies like Graham see it as a war-winner; detractors fear it invites quagmire. As coalition talks progress, the world watches whether Trump opts for seizure or restraint.

NDTV