United States forces bombed more than 90 military targets on Iran’s Kharg Island on Friday, striking air defenses, a naval base, and airport facilities while leaving the island’s critical oil export terminals untouched for now. President Donald Trump said the precision strikes were “one of the most powerful bombing raids in the history of the Middle East” and warned that oil infrastructure could be destroyed next if Iran keeps blocking the Strait of Hormuz.
Kharg Island, about 19 miles off Iran’s coast in the northern Gulf, handles more than 90 percent of the country’s crude oil exports. The island is Iran’s main gateway for shipping oil to the world. Iranian state media reported that oil exports continued normally despite the attack, though residents heard more than 15 explosions and saw thick smoke rising from the island.
Iran quickly fired back with a sharp warning. Tehran said it would reduce U.S.-linked oil facilities across the region to “a pile of ashes” if the United States or Israel strikes the island’s oil structures. Iranian officials called the U.S. move part of a larger war that has now entered its third week. They also said they are ready to use advanced weapons, including Heidar missiles, against Israeli territory and U.S. bases if the attacks continue.
The strikes have already pushed global oil prices up more than 40 percent since the conflict began on February 28. In the United States, average gas prices climbed to $3.68 a gallon, a 23 percent jump in just two weeks. Diesel prices rose even higher, reaching $4.85 a gallon in some areas. Shipping companies are rerouting vessels away from the Gulf, and analysts warn that the crisis could worsen if the Strait of Hormuz stays closed. About one-fifth of the world’s daily oil supply and a similar share of liquefied natural gas normally flow through that narrow waterway.
U.S. Central Command confirmed the operation, calling it a “large-scale precision strike” that destroyed mine and missile storage sites. Trump posted video of the bombing on social media and said he had chosen not to hit the oil terminals yet. “However, 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,” he wrote on Truth Social.
As tensions rose, the Pentagon ordered 2,500 more Marines and the amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli to the Middle East. Officials said the move is meant to support embassy security, evacuations, and possible disaster relief, but it signals that the United States is not planning to end operations soon. Trump also dismissed any quick peace deal, claiming Iran is “totally defeated” and wants negotiations on his terms.
The human cost of the fighting is climbing fast. Iran’s Health Ministry reports at least 1,444 people killed and more than 18,500 injured by U.S. and Israeli strikes since late February. Across the wider region, more than 3,000 people have died, including civilians and soldiers in Lebanon, Iraq, Israel, and Gulf states. Recent incidents include drone strikes on the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, a fire at a major oil port in the United Arab Emirates, and Israeli attacks on a health center in southern Lebanon that killed medical workers.
Iran has also launched missiles and drones at several Gulf countries, prompting warnings for civilians to stay away from ports and oil hubs. At the same time, shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has almost stopped, and at least 16 vessels have been attacked in the area since the war started.
Analysts say the situation remains dangerous. Both sides appear unwilling to back down, and any strike on oil facilities could trigger a much larger economic disaster. For now, the war continues to spread, driving up fuel prices worldwide and raising fears of even greater instability in the Middle East.
