The American site Axios reported today, Friday, that the Donald Trump administration is considering plans to seize the Iranian island of Kharg or impose a blockade on it in an attempt to pressure Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. 

According to Axios, the American administration believes that President Trump will not be able to end the war on his terms unless he can break Iran’s grip on navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, at a time when global energy prices are witnessing a significant increase. 

It added that any operation to control Kharg Island — which is about 15 miles from the Iranian coast and handles approximately 90 % of Iran’s crude oil exports — could expose American forces to direct danger, and estimates suggest that executing this operation would only happen after weakening Iranian military capabilities around the strait through additional strikes.

One of the sources said, “We need about a month to weaken the Iranians further, then seize the island and use it as leverage in negotiations.”

Strait of Hormuz (X).

Sources reported that three units of U.S. Marines are on their way to the region, while the White House and the Department of Defense are considering sending additional reinforcements.

A senior administration official said, “Trump wants to open the Strait of Hormuz. If he has to seize Kharg Island to achieve that, he will. If he decides to launch a landing on the coast, that will happen. But no decision has been made yet.”

Another official noted that “deploying ground forces in conflicts is nothing new,” adding that “Trump will make the decision he deems appropriate,” while confirming that no final decision has been made yet.

For his part, Senator Tom Cotton, chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said that “Trump has been cautious not to rule out the option of ground intervention,” without clarifying his stance on it, asserting that the president has “numerous plans” to counter the closure of the strait.

Operation risks and alternatives

In contrast, retired Admiral Mark Montgomery warned that “controlling the island could expose American forces to unnecessary risks,” indicating that “Iran might respond by halting its oil production, limiting the feasibility of the operation.”

Montgomery suggested that “the United States might instead resort to sending destroyers, warships, and planes to escort oil tankers inside the strait, which could negate the need for a ground invasion.”

Naval blockade

Among the proposed options is “imposing a naval blockade to prevent oil tankers from reaching the island.”

Sources reported that “Pentagon lawyers have been asked to provide legal opinions on the legitimacy of these measures.”

The latest strike targeting the island was a “warning message” to Iran, also aimed at undermining its military capabilities in preparation for a potential ground operation. 

Trump said, “We can seize the island at any time. It is a small, unprotected island. We have destroyed almost everything except the pipes, and we left those because rebuilding them would take years.”

Despite confirming he “does not intend to deploy ground forces,” he added, “If I were to do it, I wouldn't announce it.”

The plans are still under study within the American administration, with varying estimations regarding risks and feasibility, while opening the Strait of Hormuz remains an urgent strategic goal for Washington, without settling on the means to achieve it.