US Considers Seizing Kharg Island, Iran Deploys Mine Traps and Missiles
The situation in the Persian Gulf is heating up. Iran is reported to have begun installing mine traps and strengthening air defences on Kharg Island in recent weeks. This step follows intelligence reports regarding the possibility of a US military operation to seize the strategic island.
Kharg Island is the lifeline of Tehran’s economy, handling around 90% of the country’s crude oil exports. The Trump administration is reportedly considering the use of ground forces to occupy this small island as a bargaining chip to force Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Although it is a strategic target, military experts warn of significant risks to US forces. Iran is reported to have added surface-to-air guided missile systems (MANPADS) and deployed anti-personnel and anti-tank mines along the coastline that could potentially serve as amphibious landing points.
Retired Admiral James Stavridis, former Supreme Allied Commander of NATO, issued a stark warning.
“The Iranians are smart and ruthless. They will do anything to inflict maximum casualties on US forces, both on ships at sea and especially when ground troops are in their sovereign territory,” he said.
Iran’s Parliament Speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, openly warned “enemies” against attempting to occupy Iranian islands. In a social media post, he emphasised that all enemy movements are under strict surveillance.
“If they cross the line, all vital infrastructure of those regional countries will, without limits, become targets of relentless attacks,” Ghalibaf asserted.
To date, officials in the Donald Trump circle are still debating whether this ground mission is worth the risks. US allies in the Gulf region are also reportedly urging Washington not to prolong the war by placing troops on the ground. They fear that occupying Kharg Island would trigger Iranian retaliation against the infrastructure of neighbouring countries.
As an alternative to pressuring Tehran, Stavridis suggested an offshore blockade option. “This could be done without actually landing troops on the ground,” he added.
Currently, the US has readied amphibious rapid response units (Marine Expeditionary Units) and around 1,000 troops from the 82nd Airborne Division to the Middle East region. Although the US air strikes on 13 March previously crippled some military facilities on Kharg, Iran’s ballistic missile and drone forces along the coast remain a real threat to the safety of American troops.