Report: Trump Considers Kharg Island Operation to Pressure Iran on Strait of Hormuz

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump is considering plans to occupy or impose a blockade on Iran’s Kharg Island as part of efforts to pressure Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, according to a report by Axios citing multiple sources familiar with the matter.

The report said the deliberations come amid ongoing disruptions to shipping through the strategic waterway and rising global energy prices. Kharg Island, located approximately 15 miles off Iran’s coast, processes about 90 percent of the country’s crude oil exports, making it a central component of Iran’s energy infrastructure.

According to Axios, four sources with knowledge of internal discussions indicated that any operation targeting the island would likely follow additional U.S. military strikes aimed at weakening Iranian capabilities in the area. One source cited in the report said the plan would involve further strikes over several weeks before a potential move to seize the island and use it as leverage in negotiations.

A senior administration official told Axios that no final decision had been made, stating, “He wants Hormuz open. If he has to take Kharg Island to make it happen, that’s going to happen. If he decides to have a coastal invasion, that’s going to happen. But that decision hasn’t been made.”

Another official added that the president would act as he deems appropriate, while emphasizing that no determination on deploying ground forces had been finalized.

The report noted that the U.S. military has already conducted airstrikes on targets on Kharg Island in recent days. U.S. officials described those strikes as intended to pressure Iran to reopen the strait and to degrade military capabilities on the island, potentially laying groundwork for further action.

Military planning outlined in the report includes the deployment of additional U.S. forces to the region.

A Marine expeditionary unit of approximately 2,500 personnel is expected to arrive within days, with two additional units of similar size also en route, according to the sources. Officials are also considering further reinforcements, although no decisions have been announced.

The report said alternative options under consideration include a naval blockade to prevent tankers from accessing the island. Legal assessments of such actions have been reviewed by Pentagon lawyers, according to one source cited by Axios.

U.S. Senator Tom Cotton, who chairs the Senate Intelligence Committee, said the president had been “prudent” in not ruling out a ground invasion, according to the report, while noting that multiple contingency plans were under consideration.

However, the report also highlighted differing assessments regarding the effectiveness of such an operation. Retired Rear Admiral Mark Montgomery told Axios that seizing Kharg Island could expose U.S. forces to significant risks while offering uncertain strategic benefits. He said controlling the island would not necessarily give the United States control over Iran’s broader oil production.

The Axios report further noted that the situation in the Strait of Hormuz has affected broader U.S. policy planning, including the postponement of a planned presidential trip to China, as the administration continues to address the ongoing crisis.