Trump warns Iran over Kharg Island as regional attacks intensify

In a warning issued on Friday, Trump said the United States would reconsider its decision not to hit Kharg’s oil facilities if Iran, or any other actor, interferes with what he described as the free and safe passage of ships through the strategic waterway. Kharg Island is one of Iran’s most important oil export hubs and handles about 90 percent of the country’s crude shipments.
 

Trump also claimed on social media that U.S. forces had “totally obliterated” military targets on the island. Despite the strong language, reports indicated that the U.S. strikes did not target Kharg’s oil infrastructure directly. Instead, the attacks were said to have focused on military-linked sites, including air defense systems, a naval base, and airport facilities.
 

The U.S. president further escalated his rhetoric by claiming Iran was unable to defend itself against American attacks. In additional remarks posted online, Trump urged Iranian military forces and others linked to the government to surrender, while also insisting that Iran had been defeated and was seeking a deal with Washington.
 

However, there were no clear signs that Tehran was backing down under growing U.S. and Israeli military pressure. Iranian officials and state-linked media signaled a hardening stance, with Iran’s armed forces warning that any attack on the country’s oil and energy infrastructure would trigger retaliation against facilities owned by oil companies cooperating with the United States in the region.
 

Iranian media also reported that more than 15 explosions were heard on Kharg Island during the U.S. assault. According to those reports, the attacks damaged military and transport-related installations, but did not affect oil infrastructure. That point remained critical for global markets, which have been closely monitoring any threat to the island’s pipelines, storage tanks, and export terminals. Even limited damage at Kharg could tighten oil supply further and push already volatile prices higher.
 

At the same time, Iran claimed it had shot down five more drones in its airspace, bringing the total number of U.S. and Israeli drones downed during the war to 114, according to Iranian state television. The figures have not been independently verified.

The conflict, which began on February 28 with large-scale U.S. and Israeli bombardments on Iran, has since expanded into a wider regional crisis with major implications for energy flows and financial markets. Oil prices have moved sharply in recent days as investors react to Trump’s shifting remarks about how long the war may continue.
 

Violence also spread elsewhere in the region on Saturday. Iraqi security sources said the U.S. embassy in Baghdad was struck in a missile attack, with smoke seen rising from the building. No immediate details were available on casualties or damage.
 

Meanwhile, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said they had carried out further attacks on Israel in coordination with Lebanon’s Hezbollah, according to Iranian news agency Tasnim. The latest developments point to a conflict that is widening in scope, with no immediate sign of de-escalation.