Trump vows to hit Iran and seize Kharg Island
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- Trump posted on Truth Social that the U.S. will hit Iran “very hard tonight” and later will take Kharg Island and other oil infrastructure points, assuming total control of Iran’s oil and gas markets.
- Trump told Fox News that seizing Kharg Island has always been his “preference,” but he doubts America has the stomach to deploy boots on the ground.
- Iran’s foreign ministry said the recent U.S. strikes made the ongoing cease‑fire pause “practically meaningless.”
- Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf warned on X that impulsive decisions could reset the board for the worse, explode energy infrastructure and create an endless quagmire.
- US CENTCOM reported disabling three oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman as part of its blockade of Iranian ports.
- Scott Bessent pledged that any damage Iran inflicts on Gulf allies will be paid for with funds extracted from Iran’s frozen assets, estimated at $100 billion.
- India urged the United States to stop attacks after three Indian crew members were killed in a U.S. strike on a vessel.
Why it matters: Trump’s threats to seize Kharg Island and cripple Iran’s oil infrastructure raise the stakes of the conflict, potentially strangling Iran’s 90 % crude‑export hub and destabilising global oil markets. Gulf allies face heightened retaliation risk, while India mourns three crew deaths and calls for a halt to U.S. strikes.
