Kharg Island sits off Iran's coast and now features in public debate over possible strikes or a limited ground operation, as reported by ABC News and other outlets.
Recent reporting says Israel struck Iranian oil and fuel storage facilities and that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised more surprises, while videos showed billowing flames and reports of oil-laden rain over Tehran.
US leaders and advisers have been associated with the idea of moving on Kharg Island, with some US media reporting discussion of a seizure and former and current officials debating options.
Former US president Donald Trump has for decades named Kharg Island as a target and in recent posts warned of striking easily destroyable targets to cripple Iran, as described in reporting that cited his past and recent comments.
Other voices have urged action, with former Israeli prime minister Yair Lapid calling for destruction of Iran's energy infrastructure on Kharg, and commentators such as Michael Rubin calling seizure the "ultimate checkmate" in analysis published in US media.
Consequences Risks And Strategic Calculations
Analysts warn that Kharg Island underpins Iran's oil exports and that strikes or seizure would halt much of the country's shipments, a point underscored by JP Morgan analysis cited in reporting.
ABC News reported that the terminal handles up to 90 percent of Iran's oil trade and can load multiple supertankers, with pipelines bringing crude from major producing fields to the island, a detail used to explain the island's outsized economic role.
Experts quoted in the coverage diverge on feasibility and prudence. Petras Katinas said controlling Kharg could cut off Iran's oil lifeline and provide bargaining leverage, while Neil Quilliam at Chatham House called seizure unlikely.
Kamran Matin said a targeted capture was "perfectly possible" given the island's small size, but he warned that securing it would likely require operations on the nearby mainland and risk mission creep.
Reports also recalled past US consideration of Kharg during the 1979 hostage crisis, citing declassified national security records that warned such action would create a worldwide oil crisis, a calculation that previously led presidents to back away.
Analysts noted immediate risks of retaliation in the Strait of Hormuz or against regional energy infrastructure, and Reuters said damage from early strikes on the island was unclear, underscoring uncertainty about the costs and effectiveness of any move.
