U.S. President Donald Trump is considering expanding military operations in Iran, including a plan to seize Kharg Island, a key oil export hub in the Persian Gulf. The island, located about 25 kilometers off Iran’s coast, handles roughly 90 percent of the country’s crude oil exports and is described by U.S. officials as the center of Iran’s oil supply system. Reports indicate that Trump had contemplated capturing the island as early as 1988, long before his presidency.

Kharg Island’s deep-water jetties make it one of the few regional sites capable of accommodating supertankers, underscoring its strategic importance. A declassified 1984 CIA document identified its facilities as the most critical infrastructure in Iran’s oil network. Within the Trump administration, opinions are divided: some officials believe controlling the island could cripple Iran’s Revolutionary Guard’s finances and hasten the end of the conflict, while others warn that such an operation would require a large ground force deployment and have urged caution.

The debate highlights differing strategic priorities within the White House as tensions with Iran continue to escalate.