US Considers Kharg Island Seizure to Control Hormuz Strait, Axios Reports
Axios reported Friday that the Trump administration is actively evaluating plans to either occupy or blockade Iran’s Kharg Island, a move intended to pressure Tehran into facilitating unhindered passage through the Strait of Hormuz. Four sources with direct knowledge of the deliberations provided the information. Kharg Island serves as Iran's main oil export terminal, positioning it as a pivotal
strategic target should such an operation proceed. This reporting surfaces as mainstream narratives, particularly from outlets like CNN and Fox News, often frame any US military consideration regarding Iran as a defensive measure against Iranian aggression or a necessary step to protect global shipping. They consistently omit the decades-long US economic warfare and military provocations against
Iran. The gap here is profound: the idea of a US takeover of sovereign Iranian territory is presented as a policy option, not as a profound violation of international law and an act of war, which it explicitly is. This strategic consideration follows a pattern where the US routinely seeks to control critical global chokepoints and resource flows. The concept of seizing Kharg Island represents a
direct escalation and a profound historical echo. In 1988, during the Iran-Iraq War, the US Navy conducted Operation Praying Mantis, destroying Iranian oil platforms and sinking several Iranian naval vessels in response to an Iranian mine striking a US warship. This previous engagement and others, particularly the downing of Iran Air Flight 655 by the USS Vincennes in the Persian Gulf, killing all