The Kharg Island oil export hub has become a focal point in the escalating US-Israel war with Iran after Donald Trump said the United States could strike the strategic facility again.
Speaking to NBC News, Donald Trump rejected hopes for a quick agreement with Iran, arguing the current peace proposals from Tehran “aren’t good enough yet.”
Trump claimed the Iranian government was seeking negotiations but insisted Washington would not accept weak terms, signaling the conflict could continue while military pressure on Iran’s strategic infrastructure intensifies.
The US president suggested the military might attack the site again, telling the broadcaster American forces could strike the facility “a few more times just for fun.”
He also boasted that earlier attacks had largely destroyed the complex, saying US forces had “totally demolished” most of the facility located on the Iranian island in the Persian Gulf.
However, Trump said he deliberately avoided destroying critical energy pipelines linked to the export network, explaining that damaging them would delay reconstruction and complicate global energy stability for years.
Kharg Island plays a critical role in Iranian oil exports and historically handles the majority of the country’s crude shipments to global markets, making it a major economic lifeline.
The escalating war has already disrupted oil markets as tensions in the Gulf spread and shipping routes become increasingly dangerous for tankers navigating regional waters.
Trump also speculated about the status of Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, questioning whether he was “even alive” amid rumors regarding his health.
His comments added further uncertainty to the conflict’s political dimension as leadership questions inside Iran complicate diplomatic calculations and raise doubts about who controls strategic military decisions.
Meanwhile, the war has disrupted shipping in the vital Strait of Hormuz, where nearly one-fifth of global crude oil trade normally passes.
Trump acknowledged uncertainty over whether Iranian forces had deployed naval mines in the narrow channel, which has been largely closed since the conflict escalated two weeks earlier.
The paralysis of shipping through the strait has sharply intensified concerns about global energy supply disruptions, triggering a surge in international oil prices.
Analysts say the market shock has pushed crude prices to their highest level in roughly four years, raising fuel costs worldwide and increasing economic pressure on consumers.
Trump announced the United States would conduct extensive operations to secure the waterway, promising to “sweep the strait very strongly” to restore shipping access.
He suggested other countries dependent on Gulf oil would join the operation, though he declined to name specific governments expected to participate in maritime security efforts.
The president framed the plan as a global responsibility, arguing nations benefiting from the oil trade should contribute to protecting the shipping route.
Writing on his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump declared the United States had “beaten and completely decimated Iran, both Militarily, Economically, and in every other way.”
He insisted countries receiving oil through the strategic passage should take responsibility for securing it while Washington would support their efforts extensively.
The message portrayed the proposed operation as a cooperative international effort aimed at restoring stability to global trade routes threatened by the expanding conflict.
Yet Trump avoided giving clear operational details, refusing to confirm whether US naval vessels would escort commercial tankers traveling through the contested waters.
“I don’t want to tell you anything about that,” he said when asked if the US Navy would provide protection for shipping in the region.
His remarks marked a subtle shift in tone from earlier statements surrounding Operation Epic Fury, which he had previously portrayed as a largely unilateral demonstration of American power alongside Israel.
The evolving rhetoric suggests Washington may now be seeking broader international involvement as the war threatens global economic stability.
Trump also expressed surprise that several Gulf allies had been targeted by Iranian strikes during the conflict.
According to the president, those regional partners “got shot at unnecessarily,” describing Iran’s decision to target them as “the biggest surprise I had of this whole thing.”
The widening conflict has increased fears of a prolonged confrontation that could disrupt global energy markets, destabilize regional alliances and deepen geopolitical divisions.
Strategists warn that attacks on energy infrastructure and the closure of critical shipping routes could transform the war from a regional confrontation into a worldwide economic crisis.
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As the fighting continues, the Kharg Island facility remains both a strategic military target and a symbol of the conflict’s broader stakes.
Whether Washington carries out further strikes or pursues negotiations may ultimately determine how long the war continues and how severely global energy markets are shaken.
