Trump Threatens Seizure of Iran's Kharg Island, Oil Infrastructure

President Donald Trump said the U.S. military will attack Iran “VERY HARD TONIGHT” and eventually seize the country's oil infrastructure, including Kharg Island. He wrote on Truth Social that an operation to “assume total control” of Iran's oil and gas markets is coming “at some point in the not too distant future.”

Kharg Island handles roughly 90% of Iran's crude exports, about 1.5 million barrels a day, according to OPEC data. Taking the terminal offline would remove a significant chunk of global supply. That kind of disruption has no modern precedent in the Gulf.

Oil futures jumped on the statement. Brent crude rose above $73 a barrel in early Asian trade, while West Texas Intermediate climbed past $69. The moves reflect the risk premium the market attaches to a direct U.S.-Iran confrontation. For a deeper look at crude's supply dynamics, see the crude oil profile.

Trump compared the planned action to U.S. operations in Venezuela, calling them “working out brilliantly.” Venezuelan production, which was about 2 million barrels a day before U.S. sanctions, is now below 800,000 barrels a day.

The timing and scope of any military operation remain unclear. The Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Iran's oil ministry warned that any seizure would be met with “severe consequences,” state media reported.