U.S., Iran Threaten to Hit Oil Facilities

Al-Monitor

Aerial photo of Kharg Island, Iran.

U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to strike the oil infrastructure of Iran's Kharg Island hub unless Tehran stopped attacking vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.

President Trump paired his Friday ultimatum with a social media post saying the U.S. had "totally obliterated" military targets on the island, the export terminal for ‌90% of Iran's oil shipments, which lies about 300 miles (500 km) northwest of the strait.

U.S. strikes did not target Kharg's oil infrastructure, but "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," President Trump wrote.

Iran could not defend against U.S. attacks, the president said. "Iran’s Military, and all others involved with this Terrorist Regime, would be wise to lay down their arms, and save what’s left of their country, which isn’t much!" he posted on his Truth Social platform.

He later posted: "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!"

Iran’s armed forces have warned that any strike on the country’s oil and energy infrastructure would be met with retaliatory attacks on facilities owned by oil companies cooperating with the United States in the region, Iranian media reported.

The semi-official Fars news agency cited sources stating that more than 15 explosions were heard on Kharg Island during U.S. attacks. Air defences, a naval base, and airport facilities were reportedly targeted, though no damage was reported to oil infrastructure.

Iran also claimed to have successfully shot down five drones over its airspace, bringing the total number of U.S. and Israeli drones downed during the conflict to 114, according to Iranian state television.

Meanwhile, the U.S. embassy in Baghdad was struck by a missile on Saturday, causing smoke to rise from the building, Iraqi security sources reported. Further details of the strike were not immediately available.

Elsewhere in the region, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said they carried out additional attacks on Israel in coordination with Lebanon’s Hezbollah militia, according to Iran’s Tasnim news agency.

The Israeli military reported that its air force had struck over 200 targets in western and central Iran on Friday, including ballistic missile launchers, air-defence systems, and weapons production sites.

After two weeks of conflict, at least 2,000 people have been killed, the majority in Iran, with casualties also mounting in Lebanon and the Gulf region. Several million people have been displaced.

U.S. forces have also suffered losses, including the deaths of all six crew members aboard a refuelling aircraft that crashed in western Iraq. These fatalities bring the total number of U.S. service members killed in operations linked to the U.S.–Israeli war with Iran to at least 13.

Additionally, five U.S. Air Force tankers stationed at a base in Saudi Arabia were damaged by an Iranian missile strike and are currently undergoing repairs, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing U.S. officials.

Beyond missile and drone strikes on Israel and U.S.-aligned Gulf states, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has attempted to disrupt shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route responsible for around 20% of the world’s oil exports.

Despite the ongoing hostilities, Iran has continued crude oil exports, while other Gulf producers have temporarily halted shipments amid fears of Iranian attacks.

Source: Reuters



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