Tehran: Explosions rocked Iran’s strategic Kharg Island on Tuesday, as US military forces reportedly conducted airstrikes on military targets, according to Axios citing a senior US official.
The island, located near the Strait of Hormuz, serves as Iran’s primary oil export hub, handling nearly 90% of the country’s crude exports.
The strikes came just hours before a US-imposed deadline for Tehran to reach a ceasefire agreement, amid repeated threats from President Donald Trump to target Iranian oil facilities. Trump has previously suggested seizing Kharg Island and warned that oil infrastructure could be destroyed if Iran did not reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
In addition to the Kharg Island attacks, reports indicate an Israeli strike targeted the Yahya Abad railway bridge in Kashan, central Iran, killing at least two people.
Kharg Island has been a recurring target since the start of the US-Iran conflict on February 28. Earlier raids, including a large US Air Force bombing on March 13, focused on Iranian military installations while leaving oil facilities intact. Tuesday’s strikes underscore the island’s ongoing strategic importance, analysts note, describing it as the “backbone” of Iran’s oil trade.
Iran’s oil exports generate significant revenue, contributing about $53 billion in net earnings in 2025, roughly 11% of national GDP. The recent attacks highlight the continued escalation in the region and the heightened risk to global energy markets.
