The United States has carried out new strikes on Iranian military targets on Kharg Island, a strategic hub for the country’s oil exports, according to American officials. The operation deliberately avoided oil infrastructure, despite the island’s central role in Iran’s energy sector. US Vice President JD Vance described the action as part of ongoing operations rather than a shift in overall strategy, coming just hours before President Donald Trump’s deadline for Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Kharg Island, a small landmass off Iran’s coast, is widely seen as a cornerstone of the country’s economy, handling around 90% of its crude oil exports. Its deep-water terminals allow the docking of large oil tankers, making it indispensable for global energy flows. Historical assessments, including declassified US intelligence, have long described the facilities there as critical to Iran’s economic survival. While alternative export routes exist, such as the Jask terminal on the Gulf of Oman, they remain limited in scale and have not proven capable of replacing Kharg’s capacity. Current estimates suggest the island can store up to 30 million barrels of oil, with roughly 18 million barrels presently held there.

The latest strikes follow earlier US operations in March, when Washington said it had hit around 90 military-related targets on the island, including missile storage sites and naval infrastructure. At the time, President Trump warned that oil facilities themselves could be targeted if Iran continued to restrict shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Footage from those strikes showed explosions at airport-related infrastructure on the island.

In recent weeks, Iran has reportedly reinforced Kharg’s defenses, deploying additional personnel and air defense systems, including portable surface-to-air missiles, amid concerns over a possible US attempt to seize or disable the island. Iranian officials have previously hinted that adversaries were preparing to target one of the country’s islands, though without naming Kharg directly.

The strategic importance of the location has also been highlighted by political figures abroad. Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid recently argued that destroying the facilities on Kharg could severely damage Iran’s economy. Within the US administration, some officials reportedly believe taking control of the island could deal a decisive blow to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, though such an operation would require significant ground forces and carries considerable risks.

As the deadline set by Washington approaches, tensions continue to rise. Trump has warned of devastating consequences if Iran fails to comply, suggesting that key infrastructure across the country could be targeted. At the same time, indirect negotiations are ongoing through intermediaries, even after Tehran rejected a temporary ceasefire proposal and insisted on a permanent end to the conflict with guarantees against future attacks.

BREAKING: Trump says a 'whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again. I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will'. pic.twitter.com/cHTWP0dic1

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Meanwhile, strikes linked to the broader conflict have reportedly damaged infrastructure across Iran, including bridges, railways and highways, with casualties reported. The escalation has extended beyond Iran, with incidents in Iraq and Lebanon, and continued exchanges between Israel and Iran. Humanitarian organizations report a growing toll, with thousands of deaths since the start of the conflict, including a significant number of civilians.