Iran has warned the United States of severe consequences if it attempts a ground invasion of Kharg Island, the strategic oil hub that handles around 90 per cent of the country’s crude exports, as tensions between the two countries continue to escalate.The Iranian Foreign Ministry said its people were “counting down the minutes to welcome” American troops in the event of a ground assault. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said the US would face “repercussions” for any aggressive manoeuvres. “There are numerous people in those very regions who are eagerly awaiting their arrival,” Baghaei told reporters.Kharg Island, situated 55 kilometres off the coast of Bushehr province, is the anchor of Iran’s energy sector. Its deep-water terminals allow ultra-large crude carriers to dock, making it the primary export point for Iranian oil.
US reportedly reviewing plans to seize Kharg Island
The warning follows a Wall Street Journal report that Washington is reviewing a broader offensive campaign against Tehran. Military options under consideration reportedly range from intensified airstrikes to potential ground operations targeting vital infrastructure.The operational plans reportedly include the seizure of Kharg Island and precision strikes on the fortified Pickaxe Mountain complex, a subterranean facility believed to be linked to Iran’s nuclear programme.US President Donald Trump has repeatedly signalled a sharp intensification of US military posturing. In a Fox News interview on July 14, Trump said he would consider launching a ground campaign “if it seems appropriate” and suggested allied forces could control strategic locations such as Kharg Island without direct US involvement.“We attacked Kharg Island twice, even three times. I said: Attack everything except oil!” Trump said. When asked if he still intended to control the island, he replied: “If we weaken them deeply and strongly enough, I will do it”.
Iran’s military strategy
Iran has spent decades preparing for a potential US ground invasion, with a military strategy built on dispersion and subterranean storage. According to Seyed Mohammad Marandi, an Iranian academic who advised Tehran’s nuclear negotiation team, the country’s arsenal has been decentralised and buried deep underground to withstand sustained American air campaigns.“Everything has been spread out in Iran and placed underground,” Marandi said in an interview with political analyst Glenn Diesen. He also claimed that the IRGC had recently introduced a new missile to the conflict.Iran has been fortifying Kharg Island in recent weeks, deploying additional military personnel and air defence systems, including shoulder-fired surface-to-air missiles. Intelligence reports indicate Tehran has also laid anti-personnel and anti-armour mines around the island, including on the shoreline.Experts warn that any ground operation carries significant risk. Retired Admiral James Stavridis, former NATO Supreme Allied Commander, said the Iranians are “clever and ruthless” and would do “everything they can to inflict maximum casualties on US forces”. He noted that Iranian forces could strike amphibious ships with drones and ballistic missiles, and that the island’s proximity to the mainland makes it vulnerable to sustained attack.Gulf states have privately urged the Trump administration not to prolong the conflict by putting US troops on the ground to occupy Kharg Island. Regional governments fear a ground operation could lead to heavy casualties, trigger Iranian retaliation against Gulf infrastructure and extend the war.