US President Donald Trump is reportedly considering plans to occupy or blockade Iran’s Kharg Island in a bid to pressure Tehran into reopening the Strait of Hormuz, Axios reported on Friday.
According to the report, the plan is part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to challenge Iran’s control over the strategic waterway, through which roughly one‑fifth of the world’s oil supply passes.
“We need about a month to weaken the Iranians more with strikes, take the island and then get them by the balls and use it for negotiations," one source familiar with White House thinking told the news outlet.
Such an operation, should it be approved, would require a significant increase in US military involvement. Three different Marine units are already on their way to the region, and officials say the White House and Pentagon are considering sending even more troops, though no final decision has been made.
“He wants Hormuz open. If he has to take Kharg Island to make it happen, that’s going to happen. If he decides to have a coastal invasion, that’s going to happen. But that decision hasn’t been made," a senior administration official told Axios, while another stressed that deploying ground forces remains under review.
Kharg Island sits about 30 km off Iran’s mainland and is critical to the country’s oil export infrastructure, handling roughly 90 per cent of its crude exports. It was struck by US air raids last Saturday.
Meanwhile, analysts warn that seizing the island could escalate the conflict and carry significant risks. Rear Admiral (Ret.) Mark Montgomery told Axios that capturing Kharg might expose US troops to danger without guaranteeing Iran would reopen the strait on Washington’s terms.
“If we seize Kharg Island, they’re going to turn off the spigot on the other end. It’s not like we control their oil production," he said.
Montgomery suggested that alternative measures, such as deploying naval escorts to protect tankers, might be more effective after further operations to degrade Iran’s capabilities.
Source: ANI
