Iran is bolstering its defences on Kharg Island amid a potential US ground operation
Over the past few weeks, Iran has been deploying additional military personnel and air defence systems, as well as setting up booby traps on Kharg Island in the Persian Gulf. This comes as the country prepares for a possible US operation to seize the island, according to sources familiar with US intelligence, CNN reports.
The Donald Trump administration has considered the possibility of using US troops to establish control over the island. This is a facility through which around 90 per cent of Iran’s crude oil exports pass. Such a move is seen as a means of putting pressure on Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
At the same time, US officials and military experts note that such an operation carries significant risks, including heavy military casualties. The island has a multi-layered defence system. According to sources, Iran has also deployed MANPADS-type portable anti-aircraft missile systems there.
In addition, anti-personnel and anti-tank mines are being laid on the island, particularly along the coastline, where an amphibious landing could take place should the US president decide to proceed.
Some of Donald Trump’s allies question the wisdom of such an operation. They believe that even if the island were captured, it would not resolve the issues surrounding the Strait of Hormuz and Iran’s influence on the global energy market.
US Central Command (US Central Command) declined to comment on Iran’s actions on the island of Khark.
On 13 March, the US military had already carried out strikes on the island. According to CENTCOM, 90 targets were hit, including sea mine depots, missile silos and other military facilities. Donald Trump stated that oil infrastructure had not been attacked.
An Israeli source expressed concern that the attempt to take control of the island could lead to attacks by Iranian drones and portable missile systems, posing a risk to the lives of US military personnel.
Former Supreme Allied Commander of NATO James Stavridis stated that such an operation raises serious concerns. According to him, Iran may attempt to inflict maximum casualties on US forces both at sea and on land.
The Speaker of the Iranian Parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, warned of the consequences of any attempts to seize Iranian islands. He stated that all the actions of adversaries are under control and that, in the event of a border violation, critical infrastructure in one of the region’s countries would become a target for attacks.
The island of Khark is located in the north of the Persian Gulf, close to Iranian oil facilities. It is about a third the size of Manhattan, which would require significant forces to carry out an amphibious operation.
Recently, two US Marine Corps units specialising in amphibious operations have been deployed to the Middle East. They comprise several thousand troops, ships, aircraft and amphibious craft. There are also plans to send around 1,000 troops from the 82nd Airborne Division to the region.
According to sources, the US military is constantly monitoring the island and recording changes related to the development of its defences.
Despite US strikes, which have partially weakened the island’s air and naval defences, American forces remain vulnerable to Iranian ballistic missiles and drones due to their proximity to the Iranian coast.
US allies in the Persian Gulf are urging against escalating the conflict with a ground operation. They believe this could lead to significant casualties and trigger retaliatory strikes against the infrastructure of countries in the region.
Instead, countries in the region insist on the need to destroy Iran’s ballistic missile programme before the conflict ends. The Pentagon has told its partners that a significant portion of Iran’s missile capabilities has already been destroyed and work on the list of targets is ongoing.
One possible option for putting pressure on Iran involves a naval blockade of Kharg Island, which would make oil exports impossible without a ground operation.
