An Iranian tanker was hit by four US missiles near the anchorage of Kharg Island, Iran’s main oil export hub in the Gulf, on Saturday, 5th September, according to the semi-official Iranian news agency Tasnim. A Tasnim correspondent in Kharg reported that the tanker was struck in the anchorage area.
Local sources told Tasnim that there were no casualties and that the tanker’s crew was being evacuated. Iranian authorities made no immediate official statement, and the US Central Command had not responded to a request for comment.
The development comes days after US President Donald Trump said in a social media post on 31st August that Kharg Island was being “blown to smithereens”. The post was accompanied by an AI-generated video. Iranian authorities have warned that they would respond strongly if the island came under attack.
Why is Kharg Island so important to Iran?
Kharg Island is a key part of Iran’s oil industry and plays a major role in the country’s economy. Before the war, around 90% of Iran’s crude oil exports passed through the island.
The island has large oil storage facilities and is connected by pipelines to some of Iran’s biggest oil fields. Its export terminals allow crude oil to be loaded onto tankers and sent to international markets.
Iran is the third-largest producer in the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and produces more than 3 million barrels of oil a day. Because of this, any major damage to Kharg Island could affect not only Iran but also oil supplies and energy prices around the world.
Kharg Island has been a target before
The island has already been caught up in the conflict. In March, US forces carried out strikes on military targets on Kharg Island. Trump said at the time that American forces had “obliterated every MILITARY target” on what he called Iran’s “crown jewel”. However, the island’s important oil facilities remained intact.
The latest tanker strike could put further pressure on Iran’s already troubled oil sector. Iranian oil exports have been disrupted since a US naval blockade began in mid-April.
Trump had also said on 11th June that he wanted to take control of Kharg Island, although he later said a planned US military operation there was “off the table” for the time being. This came shortly before Tehran and Washington signed an interim agreement on June 17 aimed at ending the war.
Impact on Iran and global oil markets
The US blockade was imposed after Iran effectively shut the Strait of Hormuz, a major global shipping route that carried about one-fifth of the world’s oil supply before the war.
With Kharg Island handling most of Iran’s crude exports, any sustained attack or disruption there could put even more pressure on Iran’s economy and potentially create fresh concerns in global energy markets.
