US Strikes Iranian Military Base on Secret Island Holding Oil Assets
US President Donald Trump announced that American forces have “destroyed” a military base on Iran’s Kharg Island, located off the south-western coast of Iran, and warned that the oil infrastructure there could become a target for subsequent attacks.
For the Iranian public, the military target attacked by Trump is known as the “Forbidden Island”. The coral formation spanning 22 square kilometres (8.5 square miles) in Bushehr province is shrouded in strict secrecy and guarded by the elite Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), accessible only to those holding official security clearance.
In the early hours of Saturday, 14 March, Kharg Island became the latest focal point of US-Israeli war operations in Iran, according to Al Jazeera reports, particularly following Trump’s announcement that his country’s air force had bombed military facilities on the Iranian island.
“Out of courtesy, I have chosen NOT to destroy the oil infrastructure on that island. However, if Iran, or anyone, does anything to disrupt the free and safe passage of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, I will promptly reconsider this decision,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Located 55 kilometres (34 miles) north-west of the port of Bushehr and 15 nautical miles (approximately 28 kilometres) from mainland Iran, Kharg Island is an indispensable backbone of Iran’s economy.
The island processes 90 per cent of the country’s total oil exports, handling approximately 950 million barrels annually.
Measuring only 8 kilometres (5 miles) in length and 4–5 kilometres (2.5–3 miles) in width, the surrounding waters’ depth provides natural geographic advantages.
This depth enables super-giant tanker ships to dock safely and load crude oil primarily destined for Asian markets, with China as the leading importer.
According to Iran’s Oil Ministry, facilities on the island function as a vital nerve centre for the oil and gas sector. The oil terminal receives crude oil from three major offshore fields—Aboozar, Forouzan, and Dorood—which is then transported through a complex network of submarine pipelines to processing facilities onshore before being stored or dispatched to global markets.
Despite facing international sanctions for years that have periodically hampered production, Iran has aggressively expanded the island’s infrastructure.
In May 2025, S&P Global Commodity Insights reported that Tehran had increased terminal storage capacity by two million barrels by rehabilitating tanks 25 and 26, each capable of holding one million barrels.