US strikes targets near Iran’s Kharg Island, Fox News says | Today’s news
(Bloomberg) — The U.S. military has struck targets near the strategically important export hub of Kharg Island and the port city of Jask, Fox News reported Tuesday, the latest military escalation in a war now in its seventh month.
A Fox News reporter, citing unnamed senior US officials, said in a post on X that Iranian oil tankers were among the targets and characterized it as part of a broader effort to get Tehran to surrender.
Brent crude settled around $98 and was still rising after reports claimed explosions were heard from the Kharg berth. The island, a key hub for oil exports, lies about 24 kilometers from the mainland and is the loading point for around 90% of the country’s oil shipments.
The White House and US Central Command did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
While the US says it has largely focused on economic pressure on Iran, there have been repeated outbreaks of violence since then.
Earlier, a report by Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency said a US missile hit an Iranian tanker off the coast of Kharg. All tanker crews near the Kuwait and Bahrain piers should “immediately abandon their vessels, whether at anchor or in dock, as they will be targeted,” Iranian state television said, citing a statement by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Iran launched an attack against US Navy ships on Monday. The report, citing unnamed U.S. officials, said no U.S. ships were hit.
The US and Iran have been locked in a months-long battle for control of the Strait of Hormuz, which Tehran has largely closed to traffic after US and Israeli forces went to war in late February. Before the war, the Strait of Hormuz accounted for a fifth of global oil supplies, and its closure led to a sharp rise in global energy prices.
Iran is negotiating a deal with Oman to open the waterway to traffic, but both countries are likely to impose tolls on the vessels. The US and its allies oppose any toll on the once-free international waterway.
News of explosions near Kharg on Tuesday boosted oil prices. The island is of particular importance in the conflict because of its key role in Iran’s energy infrastructure. US strikes on the island have focused on targeting military installations, but President Donald Trump has previously threatened to target oil facilities and has even seized an export hub at times.
–With assistance from Jen Judson and Arsalan Shahla.
(Update with more details throughout)
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