As tensions between the two countries continue to escalate, Iran has warned the United States that there will be serious consequences if it attempts a ground invasion of Khag Island. Kharg Island is a strategic oil hub responsible for approximately 90% of the country’s crude oil exports.Iran’s Foreign Ministry said that in the event of a ground attack, the Iranian people are “counting down to welcome” the US military. Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Bagai said the United States would face “consequences” for any aggressive move. “There are many people in these areas eagerly awaiting their arrival,” Baghai told reporters.Khag Island, 55 kilometers off the coast of Bushehr Province, is the backbone of Iran’s energy sector. Its deepwater terminal allows very large crude carriers to dock, making it a major export point for Iranian oil.
US reportedly reviewing plans to seize Kharg Island
The warning came after the Wall Street Journal reported that Washington was reviewing a broader offensive against Tehran. Military options under consideration reportedly include intensified air strikes and potential ground operations targeting critical infrastructure.The plan of action reportedly includes seizing Khag Island and conducting precision strikes against the Hashan complex, an underground facility believed to be linked to Iran’s nuclear program.US President Donald Trump has repeatedly said that the US military posture will be sharply strengthened. In a July 14 interview with Fox News, Trump said he would consider launching a ground campaign “if appropriate” and suggested that allies could take control of strategic locations such as Kharg Island without direct U.S. involvement.“We attacked Kharg Island twice, maybe three times. I say: attack everything except oil!” Trump said. Asked if he still intended to take control of the island, he replied: “If we weaken them deep enough and powerful enough, I will do that.”
Iran’s military strategy
Iran has spent decades preparing for a potential U.S. ground invasion, with a military strategy based on dispersion and underground storage. Saeed Mohammad Marandi, an Iranian academic advising Tehran’s nuclear negotiating team, said the country’s nuclear arsenal has been dispersed and buried deep underground to defend against continued U.S. air strikes.“Everything in Iran has been disseminated and put underground,” Marandi said in an interview with political analyst Glenn Deason. He also claimed that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had recently introduced a new missile into the conflict.In recent weeks, Iran has been strengthening the defenses of Khag Island, deploying more military personnel and air defense systems, including shoulder-fired surface-to-air missiles. Intelligence reports indicate Tehran has also planted anti-personnel and anti-armor mines around the island, including along the coastline.Experts warn that any ground operation carries significant risks. Former NATO Supreme Allied Commander and retired Navy Admiral James Stavridis said the Iranians are “smart and ruthless” and will “make every effort to inflict maximum casualties on the U.S. military.” He pointed out that Iranian forces can attack amphibious ships with drones and ballistic missiles, and that the island’s proximity to the mainland makes it vulnerable to sustained attacks.Gulf states have privately urged the Trump administration not to prolong the conflict by sending U.S. troops to occupy Al Khag Island. Regional governments fear a ground operation could cause heavy casualties, trigger Iranian retaliation against Gulf infrastructure and prolong the war.
