Iran has been reinforcing defenses on Kharg Island, its main oil export hub in the Persian Gulf, in preparation for a potential U.S. ground operation, according to a CNN report.
In recent weeks, Tehran has deployed additional troops, strengthened air defenses, and laid traps across the island, including anti-personnel and anti-armor mines along potential landing zones, the sources said.
US strikes Kharg Island
Kharg Island, which handles roughly 90% of Iran’s crude oil exports, is considered a critical economic lifeline. U.S. officials have been weighing a possible operation to seize the island as leverage to pressure Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Military experts and U.S. officials warn that such an operation would carry significant risks, including heavy casualties. The island is protected by layered defenses, including shoulder-fired surface-to-air missile systems, and is positioned close enough to the Iranian mainland to allow for rapid retaliation.
Iranian forces have also expanded defensive measures along the coastline, where U.S. troops could attempt an amphibious landing. Analysts say these preparations are designed to inflict maximum damage on any invading force.
Some allies of President Donald Trump have questioned whether capturing the island would achieve broader strategic goals, noting that it would not, on its own, resolve tensions surrounding the Strait of Hormuz or Iran’s influence over global energy markets.
The US military has already carried out strikes on Kharg Island, targeting about 90 sites, including naval mine storage facilities, missile depots and other military infrastructure. Officials said oil facilities were intentionally spared.
Concerns are growing that a ground operation could expose US forces to drone attacks, missile strikes and close-range fire from Iranian defenses. Retired Adm. James Stavridis warned that Iran would seek to maximize casualties, particularly once troops enter its territory.
Iran’s leadership has issued public warnings against any attempt to seize its territory. Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said all enemy movements are under surveillance and threatened retaliation against regional infrastructure if Iran is attacked.
US military planners have deployed forces capable of amphibious operations to the region, including Marine Expeditionary Units and elements of the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division. Surveillance over the island remains constant, allowing US forces to track defensive changes on the ground.
Despite earlier US strikes that degraded some of the island’s air and naval defenses, officials say American forces would remain vulnerable to Iranian ballistic missiles and drones due to the island’s proximity to the mainland.
Regional allies are urging Washington to avoid a ground operation, warning it could prolong the conflict and trigger wider retaliation across the Gulf. Instead, they are pressing for continued efforts to dismantle Iran’s missile capabilities.
One alternative under discussion is an offshore blockade of Kharg Island, which would disrupt oil exports without deploying ground troops.