Did Donald Trump decide to make Kharg Island a brief demonstration of what might follow if Iran refuses to capitulate? Or does he have something in mind to increase his leverage?
The scope and scale of the new attacks on Kharg Island, Iran’s oil-export hub, suggest a third option – checkmate:
The U.S. military struck dozens of Iranian military targets on Kharg Island overnight, according to a U.S. official.
The mission included U.S. airstrikes along the northern side of the Island and did not include any U.S. troops on the ground, the U.S. official said. They did not strike the oil, but instead hit military bunkers and storage facilities, air defense systems, and other military facilities.
The U.S. official stressed these were all military targets and many were targets the U.S. hit previously. President Trump said on March 13 that the U.S. “totally obliterated every MILITARY target in Iran’s crown jewel, Kharg Island”
This looks like something much larger than a demonstration strike. Strikes on this scale and at this particular point in the war strongly suggest that the US and maybe the Israelis plan to seize Khrag Island and close off Iran’s ability to sell oil. Iran has been shipping oil from Kharg throughout the conflict, with the US allowing passage of those vessels while demanding Iran reciprocate. Seizing Kharg would allow the US to cut off that revenue to the regime without a blockade in the Strait.
Here’s the rub: It will take a significant number of boots on the ground to seize Kharg.
[more to come]
Editor’s Note: For decades, former presidents have been all talk and no action. Now, Donald Trump is eliminating the threat from Iran once and for all.
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