Kharg Island, historically dubbed the "orphan pearl of the Persian Gulf," is a critical 20-square-kilometer limestone island that processes roughly 90% of Iran's total oil exports . Serving as Iran’s economic "crown jewel," it houses vital storage tanks, loading terminals, and pipelines that receive crude from major offshore fields .In early 2026, as part of the escalating Middle East conflict, US forces under President Donald Trump launched targeted airstrikes on the island . These attacks caused extensive damage to local infrastructure, resulted in wildlife losses, including native gazelles, and heightened concerns over rising global energy prices.Despite the bombings and subsequent threat of blockades, some of Iran's oil exports initially managed to continue. After operations were suspended for six weeks due to the U.S. naval blockade, crude oil loading at Iran's Kharg Island terminal resumed once the blockade ended.In July 2026, the military conflict between the US and Iran escalated significantly with new naval engagements and strategic strikes:Strikes on Oil Tanker: The US military struck and disabled an empty, sanctioned, Iranian-linked oil tanker attempting to bypass the US blockade to reach the Kharg Island terminal. This represents the first direct US attack on a commercial vessel during this blockade.Rising Casualties: This operation is part of a broader CENTCOM campaign that has left at least 35 people dead and over 300 wounded, with Tehran retaliating against regional targets in Kuwait and Jordan.Potential Ground Forces: US President Donald Trump has refused to rule out deploying ground forces, including a potential operation to seize Kharg Island entirely to choke off Iran's oil revenue .

"U.S. Attack Targets Iran's Key 'Orphan Pearl' Oil Island"

Article Timeline

📝 Footnotes