High risk, high reward? US considers taking Iran鈥檚 Kharg Island.
As gas prices rise at a record-setting pace, the Trump administration is reportedly considering sending U.S. troops to occupy Kharg Island, Iran鈥檚 main oil export hub.
Seizing the island at the northern end of the Persian Gulf would give the White House negotiating leverage with Tehran, but it would also pose significant risks to U.S. service members.
Some 2,200 U.S. Marines stationed on Okinawa, Japan, are on their way to the Middle East, according to analysts who track U.S. military movements. The 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit has been sailing on the USS Tripoli since March 13 and is due to arrive in the Gulf region in the coming days.
Why We Wrote This
Over 2,000 U.S. Marines are headed toward the Persian Gulf. A possible goal: to gain leverage over Iran's regime by seizing Kharg Island, with its vital oil-shipping infrastructure.
The Tripoli, at 850 feet long, is essentially a small floating military base that can carry F-35 fighter jets, helicopters such as the MH-60S Seahawk, and MV-22 Osprey aircraft. The Marines on board are trained to quickly gain a foothold on shore. An amphibious assault of Kharg Island would involve the Marine unit escorted by U.S. Navy destroyers to provide anti-missile and anti-drone coverage, according to military analysts.
There would also likely be U.S. Air Force planes overhead and Army Apache helicopters, 鈥渨hich are very good at shooting down drones,鈥� says retired Marine Col. Mark Cancian, a senior defense adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. 鈥淪o, you鈥檇 have lots of things coming together to protect the Marines while they get ashore.鈥�
But first, the Tripoli has to get to Kharg Island, a pivot point in the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran that President Donald Trump called the country鈥檚 鈥渃rown jewel.鈥� This involves passing through the Strait of Hormuz, where Iran has , making it a critical choke point for both global commerce and naval military maneuvering. Demining efforts are intensive, a mission for which the U.S. Navy is ill-prepared.
If Kharg Island is successfully seized, holding it would almost certainly require more U.S. forces, some analysts say.
To this end, the Trump administration is considering deploying thousands more U.S. troops whose missions could include everything from occupying Kharg Island to operating along Iran鈥檚 shoreline to helping secure safe passage for ships traveling through the Strait of Hormuz.
Because the island, 15 miles off Iran鈥檚 coast, is within range of Tehran鈥檚 missiles and drones, such an operation would be dangerous for U.S. forces if they were stationed there, analysts say.
鈥淎ny operation that would be aimed at opening the straits 鈥� of which this would be a part 鈥� is going to be a major combat operation,鈥� Mr. Cancian says. 鈥淭here are going to be [U.S.] casualties, because the Iranians will fight back. We don鈥檛 really know how well they can do that,鈥� he adds. 鈥淏ut we know that they can.鈥�
U.S. Central Command, which runs military operations in the Middle East, last week carried out a bombing campaign on more than 90 targets in Kharg Island.
In a social media post, Mr. Trump called it 鈥渙ne of the most powerful bombing raids in the History of the Middle East,鈥� which 鈥渢otally obliterated every MILITARY target in Iran鈥檚 crown jewel, Kharg Island.鈥�
鈥淔or reasons of decency,鈥� Mr. Trump added in his post, he had chosen not to 鈥渨ipe out鈥� oil infrastructure on the island. That would change, he said, should Iran interfere with ships trying to pass through the strait.
In a social media post on the heels of last week鈥檚 strike, Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina : 鈥淪eldom in warfare does an enemy provide you a single target like Kharg Island that could dramatically alter the outcome of the conflict.鈥�
