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TexasTowelie

(127,391 posts)
Fri Mar 13, 2026, 09:43 PM Mar 13

Trump says Iran's Kharg Island bombed; US deploying up to 2,500 to Mideast - CNN



President Donald Trump said tonight the United States bombed “every military target” on Iran’s Kharg Island and threatened to attack the island’s oil infrastructure if Iran continues blocking ships from traversing the Strait of Hormuz.

Meanwhile, the Pentagon is deploying a Marine Expeditionary Unit to the Middle East, a rapid response unit typically comprised of around 2,500 Marines and sailors, three officials familiar with the matter told CNN.

Kharg Island is a five-mile-stretch of land off the Iranian coast that had seemingly been left untouched during the first two weeks of the war with Iran. The critical island handles roughly 90% of the country’s crude exports.

0:00 Trump says U.S. forces destroyed military targets on Iran’s Kharg Island
2:17 Panel discusses Trump's threat to Kharg Island's oil infrastructure
4:06 Ret. Capt. Lawrence Brennan on the deployment of 2,500 marines
5:29 What does the strike on Kharg Island mean to the Iranian regime?
7:16 What will the next few days tell us about the campaign's duration?
8 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Trump says Iran's Kharg Island bombed; US deploying up to 2,500 to Mideast - CNN (Original Post) TexasTowelie Mar 13 OP
Attack the oil infrastructure. There's a swell idea. NT mahatmakanejeeves Mar 13 #1
Yeah, this island is about blue-wave Mar 13 #2
My (lack of) geography fails me. I'll have to dig up an atlas. Thanks. NT mahatmakanejeeves Mar 13 #3
Kharg Island is way back into the Persian Gulf. It's close blue-wave Mar 13 #6
Because 90% of Iran's oil goes through that port. gab13by13 Mar 13 #4
OK, but if the Strait of Hormuz is shut down blue-wave Mar 13 #5
You shoot one of ours, we shoot one of yours OC375 Mar 13 #7
Choices OC375 Mar 14 #8

blue-wave

(5,162 posts)
2. Yeah, this island is about
Fri Mar 13, 2026, 10:03 PM
Mar 13

500 miles, give or take, from the actual Strait of Hormuz. Why bomb this when we should be attempting to open the strait? Could be intentional misinformation to distract. I guess we'll see.

gab13by13

(32,356 posts)
4. Because 90% of Iran's oil goes through that port.
Fri Mar 13, 2026, 10:15 PM
Mar 13

Iran would blow it up themselves before letting it fall into US hands.

blue-wave

(5,162 posts)
5. OK, but if the Strait of Hormuz is shut down
Fri Mar 13, 2026, 10:20 PM
Mar 13

and no shipping traffic is moving through it, that means Iran is also not shipping through it. If Iran tried to ship through the strait, the U.S. would likely blow up the Iranian vessel.

Shouldn't the first goal be opening the strait? We can then, in good speed, take care of Kharg Island.

OC375

(954 posts)
7. You shoot one of ours, we shoot one of yours
Fri Mar 13, 2026, 11:25 PM
Mar 13

But with oil. I think that’s the plan for opening the Strait.

OC375

(954 posts)
8. Choices
Sat Mar 14, 2026, 09:02 AM
Mar 14

They’re saying if you don’t let it open, we’ll ensure that when it does reopen, you won’t have a need for it anymore. You’re done with oil. That’s my read.

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