The White House said on Friday that the United States could “take” Iran’s Kharg Island at any time if President Donald Trump ordered it, following reports that the administration was considering plans to seize or blockade Iran’s strategic oil hub.Axios reports that Trump has been considering action against Haqq to force Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway that Iran has largely blocked.U.S. media also reported that Washington is sending additional Marines to the Middle East, indicating that ground operations may be in the works three weeks after the U.S.-Israel campaign, AFP reported.Asked about the Axios report, White House principal deputy press secretary Anna Kelly told AFP: “The U.S. military can take Kharg Island at any time if the president orders it.”“Thanks to a detailed planning process, the entire administration is prepared for any potential actions by Iran’s terrorist regime,” Kelly added.She pointed out, “President Trump is very aware that Iran will try to prevent freedom of navigation and the free flow of energy, and he has taken actions to destroy more than 40 minelayers.”Iran’s blockade has effectively paralyzed commercial shipping through the maritime chokepoint since the conflict began on February 28, causing global oil prices to rise.Trump said the U.S. military had “totally destroyed” all military targets on Kharg Island in Friday’s strike and warned that the island’s infrastructure could be hit if Iran continues to block the Strait of Hormuz.On Thursday, the president described Haqq, which is responsible for nearly all of Iran’s crude oil exports, as a “little oil island that sits there, completely unprotected,” adding that the U.S. strike “destroyed everything but the pipeline.”
