US Forces Eye Kharg Island Amid Trump’s Threats to Iran

WHO:

[08:37 EDT] - The Guardian - Donald Trump threatened to attack Iran.

[12:40 EDT] - The Guardian - Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, speaker of the Iranian parliament, warned of an "endless quagmire."

[12:02 EDT] - The Guardian - Abbas Araghchi, Iranian foreign minister, condemned US attacks.

[12:23 EDT] - The Guardian - Sarbananda Sonowal, India's shipping minister, reported on the deaths of Indian seafarers.

WHAT:

[08:37 EDT] - The Guardian - Trump threatened to attack Iran "very hard tonight" and seize Kharg Island and other infrastructure.

[08:37 EDT] - The Guardian - Trump stated, "The United States will be hitting Iran... VERY HARD TONIGHT."

[12:40 EDT] - The Guardian - Trump expressed a preference to avoid attacking civilian infrastructure in Iran.

[12:40 EDT] - The Guardian - The US confirmed it struck the Guinea-Bissau-flagged vessel M/T Jalveer for violating a blockade.

[12:40 EDT] - The Guardian - Three Indian seafarers were confirmed dead in a US attack on the Palau-flagged MT Settebello.

WHERE:

[08:37 EDT] - The Guardian - Kharg Island, Iran, is an economic lifeline handling about 90% of the country's oil exports.

[12:40 EDT] - The Guardian - The US strike occurred off Oman’s port of Shinas.

WHEN:

[08:37 EDT] - The Guardian - Trump indicated that the US would take Kharg Island "at some point in the not too distant future."

[12:40 EDT] - The Guardian - The US confirmed the strike on the M/T Jalveer occurred recently.

WHY:

[08:37 EDT] - The Guardian - Trump aims to assume total control of Iran's oil and gas markets, similar to the US approach with Venezuela.

[12:40 EDT] - The Guardian - Araghchi stated that US strikes have rendered the ceasefire ineffective.

HOW:

[08:37 EDT] - Bloomberg - Rebecca Grant stated that the US has air dominance in the region, making it "very doable" to take over Kharg Island without a large troop presence.

(UPDATED June 11, 2026 21:46 UTC)

President Trump has threatened to attack Iran "very hard tonight," specifically targeting Kharg Island, which is crucial for the country's oil exports. In response, Iranian officials, including parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, warned that such actions could lead to an "endless quagmire," while foreign minister Abbas Araghchi condemned the US strikes that have undermined any ceasefire efforts. Additionally, three Indian seafarers were confirmed dead following a US attack on the Palau-flagged MT Settebello, with the US also confirming a strike on the Guinea-Bissau-flagged vessel M/T Jalveer for violating a blockade.