The ongoing war between America, Israel and Iran has now entered its second week and the situation is becoming increasingly serious. Meanwhile, news has come out that the US administration is considering the option of targeting Kharg Island, a small but very important oil center of Iran. According to reports, this island is very important for Iran’s economy and about 90 percent of the country’s crude oil is exported from here.
Experts say that if this oil hub is deactivated or captured, it can have a direct impact on the economic backbone of Tehran. However, this move could also cause huge turmoil in the global oil market, because the island plays a big role in the energy supply of the Gulf region.
1. Why is Kharg Island considered so strategic?
Kharg Island is located in the Persian Gulf south of Iran and is known as the country’s largest oil export terminal. Large oil storage tanks, pipeline networks and tanker loading terminals are present here. This is why this island is considered a major lifeline of Iran’s economy. Experts say that if this structure is damaged, there will be a direct impact on Iran’s oil income, which may also put pressure on the funding of the government and military institutions.
2. Is the US really considering attacking Kharg Island?
According to the report, former Pentagon advisor Michael Rubin says that attacking this island could weaken the Iranian regime’s ability to provide financial support to its military activities. He said that he has raised the issue of the strategic importance of this island with Washington officials and it is likely that it may have been discussed within the United States National Security Council as well. However, it is not clear whether this proposal has reached the key advisors who play an important role in war-related decisions.
3. Was there a plan to target Kharg Island earlier too?
Kharg Island has long been a sensitive strategic asset in the eyes of Iran’s adversaries. During the 1979 Iran hostage crisis, US President Jimmy Carter was advised that the US could put pressure on Tehran by occupying the island, but ultimately did not take this step. Later in the 1980s, President Ronald Reagan launched attacks on other offshore oil sites in response to Iran’s laying of mines in the Strait of Hormuz, but Kharg Island was not targeted that time either.
4. Has this island been attacked before?
The island’s oil terminal was heavily damaged by Iraqi forces in the 1980s during the Iran-Iraq War. However, after the war, Iran rapidly redeveloped it and restored oil exports. The importance of the island has increased in recent weeks because Iran had increased production here to about four million barrels per day before the war started.
5. Is Israel demanding an attack on Kharg Island?
Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid recently said that targeting the island’s energy infrastructure could collapse Iran’s economy. He wrote on social media that ‘Israel should destroy all of Iran’s oil fields and energy industry on Kharg Island. This will collapse Iran’s economy and the current regime may fall. However, energy experts say that such an attack could bring a huge surge in the global oil market.
6. Could the attack on Kharg Island send global oil prices higher?
According to analysts, if there is a major attack on this island, there could be a sharp rise in international oil prices. Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies estimates that if a serious disruption occurs here, the price of crude oil may increase by about $ 10 per barrel.
7. Can this prove to be the biggest blow to Iran’s economy?
Delgha Katinoglu, an energy expert associated with London-based Iran International, believes that damaging Iran’s oil and gas infrastructure could affect the country’s economy in the long run. He warned that if this happens, it may be very difficult for any future government to stabilize the economy and provide basic services.
8. Why hasn’t America targeted Kharg Island yet?
Experts believe that such an attack can escalate the war to a larger level, hence American approval will be necessary for it. Apart from this, US President Donald Trump is also facing pressure in domestic politics regarding fuel prices. In such a situation, a major attack on Iran’s oil exports can destabilize the global energy market.
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