In the two weeks since US and Israeli strikes on Iran, US President Donald Trump said on Saturday (local time) that he had demolished Iran’s Kharg Island and planned to do more for “fun”, according to NBC News.
According to the report, Trump said that “we totally demolished Kharg Island, but we can hit it a few more times just for fun.”
Here’s what Trump said
Trump said he was “surprised” that Iran decided to attack other Middle Eastern countries in response to a joint US-Israeli operation, as reported by NBC News. He also claimed that the US strikes had largely destroyed Kharg Island, adding that the US could strike the island again “multiple times”, which he described as “just for fun”.
The president also questioned whether Iran’s new supreme leader “is even alive.”
Iran’s Kharg Island – strategic importance
Kharg Island lies about 16 miles (26 km) off the coast of Iran and roughly 300 miles (483 km) northwest of the Strait of Hormuz, in waters deep enough to accommodate tankers too large to dock along the shallow shores of the mainland.
Read also | The US attacked the Iranian island of Kharg. What this could mean for oil prices.
Much of the Iranian oil transported through Kharg goes to China, the world’s largest oil importer. China has put in place measures such as a ban on refined fuel exports to protect its supplies during the Middle East outages. According to tanker tracker Kpler, Iranian crude accounted for 11.6% of China’s seaborne imports this year, mostly bought by independent refiners attracted by previously discounted prices due to US sanctions against Tehran.
Read also | Iran War Costs $11.3 Billion; AGM-154 bombs purchased 20 years ago, used
So far this year, Iran has exported 1.7 million bpd of oil, with 1.55 million bpd going through Kharg, according to Kpler data.
What did Iran say about the damage to Kharg Island?
Iran minimized reports of damage on Kharg Island after US Central Command said it had hit more than 90 sites on Kharg, including naval mine storage facilities, missile bunkers and other military facilities.
Read also | US now ‘begging’ world and India to buy Russian oil – Iran mocks Trump
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi has warned that Iran will retaliate against any attacks on its energy infrastructure.
Trump asks allies to send warships to Strait of Hormuz
Trump further urged allied countries to deploy warships to help protect shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, even as Iran vowed to escalate its response and the conflict showed no signs of ending on Sunday.
Tehran’s ability to disrupt shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for about a fifth of the world’s oil and gas trade, poses a major challenge for the United States and its allies. The ongoing conflict and threats to the strait have stifled tanker traffic and contributed to a sharp rise in global energy prices, intensifying what has been described as the biggest oil supply disruption in recent history.
“Countries of the world that receive oil through the Strait of Hormuz must take care of this passage and we will help – A LOT!” Trump wrote this on the social network on Saturday. “The U.S. will also coordinate with these countries to make sure everything goes quickly, smoothly, and well.”
In addition, the US president is facing increasing political pressure. He grew increasingly frustrated with the media coverage and sought to clearly justify the war or outline an end game that soothed a public worried about American losses, rising oil prices and falling markets. Even some of his supporters are questioning his strategy and his popularity is declining.
At the same time, Russia saw early gains from the conflict after Trump eased sanctions on some Russian oil supplies. That, along with higher global oil prices, is undermining long-standing efforts to limit Vladimir Putin’s ability to sustain the war in Ukraine.
The president, who has kept nations other than Israel informed of his plans for war with Iran, signaled for the first time that the US will need international support to ensure oil tankers can pass through the Strait of Hormuz, where shipping disruptions have thrown global energy markets into disarray.
Iran has said it will continue to target energy infrastructure and use its effective control of the strait as leverage against the US and Israel. The waterway transports about one-fifth of the world’s traded oil.
The Swiss refused two requests to fly over from the US for flights
The Swiss government said on Saturday it had reviewed requests by United States military and official aircraft for permission to fly over its territory. In accordance with its neutrality laws, the country denied two overflight requests related to the Iran conflict, but approved three other flights.
“The Neutrality Act prohibits parties to the conflict from overflights that serve a military purpose related to the conflict. Humanitarian and medical transits, including the transport of injured persons, are permitted, as well as overflights unrelated to the conflict,” the government said in a statement.
What do Americans think about war?
Earlier, an Associated Press report on March 11 indicated that Americans are divided along party lines on US military action against Iran, with most polls showing opposition outnumbering support. Many Americans worry that such military action could make the US “less safe,” even though they see Iran as a security threat.
We totally trashed Kharg Island, but maybe we’ll run into it a few more times just for fun.
A recent Quinnipiac University poll conducted last weekend found that 53% of registered voters oppose U.S. strikes on Iran, about 40% support them, and about 10% remain undecided. Similarly, a new poll by Ipsos shows that disapproval of military actions is higher than approval.
(With input from agencies)
Key things
- Public opinion is increasingly opposed to US military action in Iran, with opinion polls showing considerable opposition.
- US military strategy in the region is under scrutiny as rising oil prices and geopolitical tensions escalate.
- Trump’s statements highlight a provocative and potentially destabilizing approach to international conflict.
