The US targets military installations on Iran’s Kharg island, which is home to a sizable oil plant.

According to US President Donald Trump, the US military blasted military positions on Iran’s Kharg island, threatening to target the region’s vital oil facilities if Iran keeps blocking the Strait of Hormuz. 

In response, Iran warned on Saturday to transform US-affiliated oil facilities into “a pile of ashes” in the event that the island’s oil structures were attacked. The US-Israel war on Iran, which is currently in its harsh third week, has escalated into an impending worldwide oil price crisis.Later in the day, US Central Command discussed what it called a large-scale precision strike.

“U.S. ⁠Forces successfully struck ⁠more than ⁠90 ⁠Iranian military targets,” CENTCOM said. According to a senior provincial official cited by state media agency IRNA, exports from the island were proceeding as usual in spite of the US attack.  Over 90% of Iran’s oil is exported from Kharg Island. Since the start of the war, the price of crude oil has increased by more than 40%. 

In a social media tweet on Friday, Trump claimed that US forces had “totally obliterated” all military targets on Iran’s Kharg island oil export facility, calling it “one of the most powerful bombing raids in the History of the Middle East.” He offered no proof of that.  According to the US president, he has decided not to “wipe out” the oil infrastructure on the Iranian island just yet. “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,” he added.

More than fifteen explosions were heard on Kharg Island during the US attacks, according to reports cited by Iran’s semi-official news agency Fars. According to the reports, the assaults did not harm oil infrastructure, but they did target air defenses, a naval base, and airport facilities. Thick smoke was spotted rising from the island, according to Iran’s Fars news agency.

According to a US official, an amphibious assault ship and 2,500 additional Marines are being ordered to the Middle East. The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss secret military operations, said elements from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit and the amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli have been ordered to the area. At addition to conducting amphibious landings, Marine Expeditionary Units are skilled at disaster assistance, civilian evacuation, and enhancing embassy security.

Following the attack on Kharg island, Iran would be “wise to lay down their arms, and save what’s left of their country”, Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.“The Fake News Media hates to report how well the United States Military has done against Iran, which is totally defeated and wants a deal – but not a deal that I would accept!” he posted separately, providing no evidence Tehran was seeking any sort of deal.