Trump Warns US 'Locked and Loaded' to Strike Iran's Kharg Island
President Donald Trump has declared the United States military is 'locked and loaded' and prepared to destroy Iran's critical oil export hub on Kharg Island. The threat, delivered to reporters aboard Air Force One, significantly escalates tensions and places one of the world's most vital oil infrastructure sites at the center of the ongoing conflict. The warning comes as the President pressures allied nations to deploy warships and help secure the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway critical to global energy supplies that carries roughly 20% of the world's oil. The strait has been effectively paralyzed, with reports from multiple sources indicating Iran has laid mines and struck more than a dozen vessels since the war began on February 28th. This disruption has caused Brent crude oil prices to hover around $100 a barrel and driven U.S. gas prices to their highest level since October 2023. Beyond airstrikes, Axios reported that the administration is also considering a ground operation, with plans being weighed to deploy U.S. boots on the ground to seize the Kharg Island oil depot. In response to U.S. actions, Iran has promised to intensify its military response and strike any U.S.-linked oil and gas infrastructure. The U.S. Virtual Embassy in Iran has maintained its Level 4 'Do Not Travel' advisory for the country, warning citizens of the ongoing danger.
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Sources
Oil prices fall as Trump pressures allies to help protect tankers in Strait of Hormuz
The narrow waterway is a critical energy choke point that typically carries roughly 20% of the world's oil. ... "The Iranian ships have been getting out already, and we've let that happen to supply the rest of the world," Bessent told CNBC's Brian Sullivan. Trump also told NBC News in an interview ...
Trump says US may hit Iran’s Kharg Island again ‘just for fun’ | US-Israel war on Iran News | Al Jazeera
US President Donald Trump threatened further strikes on Iran’s Kharg Island and urged allies to deploy warships to secure the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway critical for global energy supplies, as Tehran promised to intensify its response. Trump told the NBC News broadcaster on Saturday ...
Trump weighing US boots on the ground to seize Iran’s Kharg Island oil depot - report
A picture taken on March 12, 2017, shows an oil facility in the Khark Island, on the shore of the Gulf. ... US President Donald Trump is considering seizing Iran’s Kharg Island oil depot should tankers remain unable to advance from the Persian Gulf, Axios reported on Monday, citing four sources ...
Live Updates: Iran war keeps gas prices up, with Strait of Hormuz paralyzed despite Trump's demands
She helps lead national and breaking news coverage and shapes editorial workflows. Read Full Bio ... President Trump is urging nations that depend on oil exported through the Strait of Hormuz to "come and help us with the Strait." The price of Brent crude, the international benchmark for crude oil prices, hovered around $100 a barrel and U.S. gas prices continue to rise as the vital shipping lane is paralyzed by Iran ...
Meanwhile, Iran has ramped up pressure, including laying mines in the strait and saying it will strike any US-linked oil and natural gas infrastructure. More than a dozen vessels have been struck in the Strait of Hormuz since the start of the war on February 28. In an interview with CBS News ...
President Donald Trump claims the United States is ready to take out Iran’s oil export hub — but has stopped short of doing so. Trump spoke with reporters on Air Force One Sunday, stating the U.S. is “locked and loaded” to destroy Iran’s Kharg Island.
'Locked and loaded': The targets the US could strike in Iran | The National
After US President Donald Trump ... with Iran unless it concedes to his demands on abandoning its nuclear programmes, the region – and the world – has been anticipating his next move. Experts have also told The National that with both American defensive and offensive weaponry now “locked and loaded” an attack ...
Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Travel Advisory Level 4: Do Not Travel Travel Advisory Level 4: There were no changes to the advisory level or risk indicators. Advisory summary was updated. Read More... ... Following the launch of U.S. combat operations in Iran...
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