Amid intensifying tensions in West Asia, the United States launched strikes on Friday that destroyed key targets on Iran's Kharg Island. The island serves as a crucial hub in Tehran’s oil export network.
The latest US strikes on Kharg Island targeted military installations while avoiding the island's energy facilities. President Donald Trump warned that if Tehran continues to disrupt the smooth passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz, oil reserves will be the next targets. Iran has retaliated with a warning of its own, stating that such an escalation would lead to a wider conflict, as it would strike energy infrastructure belonging to regional oil companies that cooperate with the US.
Where is Kharg Island?
Located 16 miles (26 km) off Iran's coast, roughly 300 miles northwest of the Strait of Hormuz, Kharg Island is a strategic terminal in the northern Gulf. The island is considered Iran's 'oil lifeline'.
It functions as the export terminal for 90 per cent of Iran's oil shipments. Large tankers carry oil to the island and then export it through the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz.
If access to the island is cut off, it would significantly impact the economy of the Islamic Republic.
Why Kharg Island is important to Iran
According to a 1984 declassified CIA note, the island's oil facilities is the 'most vital' part of Iran's petroleum system, crucial for the country's economy and its war campaign against Iraq.
The pipelines connected to the island are also linked by sea to several of Iran's biggest oil and gas fields.
According to reports, the crude oil reaches the terminal from offshore fields: Aboozar, Forouzan and Dorood. From there, it travels through an underwater pipeline system to processing plants on land before being stored or shipped to international markets.
The island also houses three major energy facilities run by the Iranian oil ministry. According to the New York Times, one of the major facilities is Falat Iran Oil Company, which produces 500,000 barrels of crude oil daily.
The island also houses the Kharg Petrochemical company, along with a large installation used to store and export oil and liquefied natural gas.
According to experts, an offensive against the island—which is also home to a civilian population—could drive global oil prices even higher.
