Suspected US Missile Strike Near Iran's Kharg Island Sparks Fears of Major Escalation

An Iranian tanker was struck in a US missile attack near Kharg Island, according to the state-owned Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) agency on Saturday. The incident occurred at 8am local time when four American missiles hit the tanker in the island's anchorage area. IRIB reported that no casualties were initially recorded and crew members were successfully evacuated. Last week, Mr Trump shared an AI-generated video depicting an assault on Kharg Island, raising concerns that Iran's vital oil infrastructure could become a target in the ongoing conflict.

The semi-official Fars news agency also reported hearing "several explosions" in the vicinity of Kharg Island on Saturday. The agency noted that no official or precise information regarding the origin and cause of these sounds has been released yet, and further details will follow. The US military did not immediately issue a confirmation regarding the launch of the attack.

Kharg Island plays a critical role in handling about 90 per cent of Iran’s crude exports, boasting a loading capacity of seven million barrels per day and a storage capacity of 30 million barrels. Prior to the war, the vast majority of shipments from the island—around 80 per cent—were destined for Asian customers, primarily China. Noureldeen Al Hammoury, chief market strategist at Equiti Group, told The National that any sustained damage to Kharg would effectively halt Iranian crude exports, which are currently estimated at 1.5 million to 1.8 million barrels per day, representing a significant portion of global supply.

The reported strikes near Kharg Island coincide with threats from Mr Trump to impose "maximal pressure" on Iran's economy. On August 19, he posted on Truth Social to announce what he called "the most crushing economic operation ever taken against any country," stating that it would involve economic warfare and isolation on an unprecedented scale. Just five days later, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated during a press conference that the objective is to cut off every economic lifeline sustaining the regime until Tehran stands completely alone.

The incident near Kharg Island unfolded mere hours after Mr Trump hinted at another potential escalation, suggesting the US might strike Iran's heavily fortified Pickaxe Mountain very soon. Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office without providing a specific reason, Mr Trump remarked that the military could hit Pickaxe shortly. Pickaxe Mountain, known in Farsi as Kuh-e Kolang, is an underground complex situated near Iran's Natanz uranium enrichment plant north of Isfahan in central Iran. Satellite imagery indicates that construction began around 2020, featuring extensive tunnels excavated beneath the mountain. While Iran states the site will house a centrifuge assembly plant, UN inspectors have not been granted full access. The complex sits buried up to 600 metres beneath granite, prompting some weapons experts to question whether even the most powerful US bunker-buster bombs could penetrate such a depth, though the exact vulnerability of the site remains unknown.