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US president warns Iran’s oil infrastructure could be targeted if shipping through the Strait of Hormuz is disrupted.
US President Donald Trump said the US military carried out a major bombing raid on Iran’s Kharg Island, a key hub for the country’s oil exports, while warning that Iran’s energy infrastructure could become a target if maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz is threatened.
In a social media statement early Saturday, Trump said US Central Command (CENTCOM) conducted what he described as one of the most powerful bombing raids in the region’s history, claiming that all military targets on the island were destroyed.
He said the United States had chosen not to strike the island’s oil facilities, but warned that this decision could change if Iran or any other actor interferes with the free and safe passage of ships through the strategic waterway.
Located about 30 kilometres off Iran’s mainland, Kharg Island handles roughly 90% of Iran’s crude oil exports, making it one of the most strategically important assets for the country’s energy sector.
The island became a major oil export hub during Iran’s oil expansion in the 1960s and 1970s, when much of the country’s coastline was too shallow to accommodate large oil tankers.
The ongoing conflict has already disrupted maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route through which around one-fifth of the world’s crude oil and liquefied natural gas supplies normally pass.
Trump also announced that the US Navy will soon begin escorting oil tankers through the strait, aiming to ensure safe navigation and maintain global energy flows amid escalating tensions.
Source: Newstimehub
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