President Donald Trump has not ruled out the possibility of the U.S. seizing Iran's Kharg Island, the primary terminal for the country's oil exports. Trump stated that "there are a lot of ways to skin this cat" when asked about the potential operation, while emphasizing that previous U.S. strikes have intentionally avoided damaging the island's oil facilities due to their significance to the global economy.
Military experts envision a scenario where U.S. Marines could storm the island, supported by overwhelming naval and air superiority, giving Iranian forces an opportunity to surrender. Retired Vice Adm. Robert Harward, former deputy commander of U.S. Central Command, told Fox News that the objective would be to capture the island while preserving its oil infrastructure, potentially for a future Iranian government.
"The real objective at the end of the day is to minimize risk," Harward said, referring to both U.S. forces and civilian populations, while also limiting damage to facilities.
The Challenge of Holding Kharg Island
Despite the potential for a swift capture, experts warn that holding Kharg Island could prove far more challenging than seizing it. Located about 16 miles off Iran's coast, the island remains within range of Iranian missiles, drones, and shore-based anti-ship weapons. Nicholas Carl, assistant director of the Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, noted that Iran has developed capabilities specifically to deter U.S. forces from its shores, including anti-ship missiles, drones, naval mines, and fast attack craft.
Harward echoed these concerns, stating that once U.S. forces are on the ground, the primary danger would shift from conventional naval combat to sustained missile and drone attacks launched from the Iranian mainland. "Iran doesn't really have air power," Harward said. "The concern is whether they launch missiles and drones at the island with U.S. forces on the ground. That's the biggest risk."
The success of any such operation, Harward explained, would depend heavily on intelligence regarding Iranian force dispositions, potential booby traps, and Tehran's overall response. However, he also pointed out that Iran would incur a significant cost if it attacked its own economic lifeline.
Alternative Strategies
Harward suggested that Washington has options beyond a direct amphibious assault. Given the existing U.S.-led blockade that already constrains Iran's oil exports, additional economic pressure could be applied to overland transportation routes, border crossings, and air traffic. "There is still a lot you could do to enhance the economic challenges to Iran," Harward stated. "Synchronizing military, economic and political pressure is really the strategy."
Some strategists have also questioned Kharg Island's strategic value compared to other potential objectives. Retired Vice Adm. Mark Fox previously argued that smaller islands near the Strait of Hormuz, such as Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb, and Abu Musa, might present more manageable military targets while strategically disrupting global shipping lanes.
Ultimately, military planners agree that while seizing Kharg Island might be accomplished in hours, successfully defending it against sustained retaliation would constitute a far longer and more complex campaign, with significant risks of wider escalation.