The U.S. military has bombed Iran’s “very strategy” Kharg Island on Friday, claiming to have destroyed “all” military targets there but leaving its oil infrastructure.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump called the operation “one of the most powerful bombing raids in the History of the Middle East,” carried out at his direction by U.S. Central Command.
He said the strikes “totally obliterated every MILITARY target” on the Island, which handles about 90% of Iran’s crude oil exports.” I have chosen NOT to wipe out the Oil Infrastructure on the Island.
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,” Trump added.
The bombardment marks the first direct U.S. strikes on Kharg Island since the launch of Operation Epic Fury on Feb. 28.
U.S. officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the strikes involved B-52 bombers and other aircraft, focusing on anti-ship missiles, radar installations, and other defenses on the strategic Island.
Iran’s state media did not immediately report on the strikes, but Tehran has vowed retaliation.
Iranian forces have already disrupted shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial chokepoint for global oil supplies, leading to crude prices surging above $120 per barrel.
The U.S. bombing came amid reports of the Pentagon planning to deploy up to 2,500 Marines to the region. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the reinforcements were aimed at securing sea lanes and thwarting Iranian hostilities.
Analysts said targeting Kharg’s military facilities without hitting oil facilities reflects Washington’s strategy to pressure Tehran while avoiding an energy crisis.
“Seizing or destroying the terminal outright could halve Iran’s oil output and trigger severe retaliation against regional infrastructure,” said a note from JP Morgan earlier this month.
Last year, as EurAsian Times reported, Tehran warned that any attack on Kharg Island’s oil facilities would prompt retaliatory strikes on Saudi Arabia’s Ras Tanura facility, one of the world’s largest oil refineries.
Before the Kharg Island was bombed, Tehran had launched drone and missile attacks on Ras Tanura and Qatar’s Ras Laffan liquefied natural gas complex on March 1-2, forcing temporary shutdowns.
Saudi Aramco said operations at Ras Tanura, which processes about 550,000 barrels per day, were suspended briefly but have since partially resumed. QatarEnergy halted LNG production at Ras Laffan, the world’s largest such facility, contributing to a spike in natural gas prices.
Ras Tanura on Iran’s “Hit List”?
The Ras Tanura complex is operated by state-owned Saudi Aramco. The facility processes approximately 550,000 bpd of crude oil daily and serves as a crucial gateway for Saudi Arabia’s hydrocarbon shipments.
Ras Tanura came to prominence in the 1930s, after the discovery of oil reserves in Saudi Arabia. In 1938, the Dammam No. 7 well, drilled by the Arabian American Oil Company (Aramco), marked Saudi Arabia’s first major oil discovery.
Aramco transformed Ras Tanura into one of the world’s most vital crude export hubs, capitalizing on its strategic location at the tip of a peninsula extending into the Persian Gulf.
Its construction accelerated during World War II, with the refinery beginning operations in 1945 with an initial crude-processing capacity of around 3,000 barrels per day. By the end of that year, it expanded to 50,000 bpd.
The Saudi facility played an influential role in post-war global recovery, supplying fuel to allied forces and new markets. Through the 1950s and 1960s, Ras Tanura blossomed amid Saudi Arabia’s oil boom. In 1962, the refinery processed over 90 million barrels of crude, its highest output in the first 16 years of operation.
The Saudi government gained full control of Aramco by 1980, transforming Ras Tanura into a treasured national asset. By the 2000s, the complex had evolved into a cutting-edge industrial behemoth.
A 2014 commemoration marked its 60th anniversary, noting its evolution from a basic processing site to a “labyrinth of equipment and facilities,” complete with employee housing, recreation areas, and advanced safety systems.
More recently, the Ras Tanura Clean Fuels Project, completed in phases through the 2020s, upgraded the refinery to produce low-sulfur fuels compliant with global environmental standards.
Ras Tanura’s significance cannot be overstated. As Saudi Arabia’s largest refinery, it processes up to 550,000 bpd of crude oil into refined products such as gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, kerosene, and LPG, serving both domestic and international markets.
This makes it integral to the kingdom’s economy, where oil accounts for nearly 40% of GDP and over 70% of export revenues.
Located in the Persian Gulf, the massive complex funnels oil from major fields via pipelines, supplying customers in Asia, Europe, and the Americas. Any disruption at this facility, like the 2019 drone attacks by Houthis, can send shockwaves across the world.
However, its proximity to the volatile Strait of Hormuz makes it a potential target for Iranian strikes. Analysts warn that full-scale damage could significantly reduce Saudi exports, triggering a worldwide oil crisis.
The U.S. striking military targets in Kharg Island and sparing oil facilities could possibly be linked to potential Iranian retaliation on Ras Tanura.
Meanwhile, Trump said that Iran has been “totally defeated” in the ongoing campaign and wanted a deal he would not accept.
“The Fake News Media hates to report how well the United States Military has done against Iran, which is totally defeated and wants a deal – But not a deal that I would accept!” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform, without elaborating.
Trump’s comments came after he said that Washington had heavily bombed Kharg Island.
“I don’t think talking with the Americans would be on our agenda anymore,” Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told PBS News this week, adding Tehran had a “very bitter experience” during previous negotiations with the US.
By ETU.Snline Desk with AFP Inputs
