US Military Prepares to Capture Key Iranian Oil Terminal

The US military has been preparing to capture Kharg Island in Iran, which is crucial for the country's oil trade. The island is home to a deep-water terminal that accounts for around 90% of Iranian crude exports, and taking control of it could severely impact Tehran's economy.

In June, President Donald Trump stated his preference was to 'take Kharg Island', but admitted he was unsure if the US had the appetite for a larger ground operation. The military has already completed part of the preparation, striking over 90 military targets on the island in March, including naval-mine storage sites and missile bunkers.

The capture of Kharg Island is not as simple as it seems, however. The island covers only 7.7 square miles and is mostly flat, with low hills at the southern end. It's also home to around 8,000 civilians, making it a complex operation for the US military.

The US would need a substantial force to hold the island, estimated by former Central Command chief Gen. Joseph Votel to be around 800-1,000 troops. This figure refers to the garrison, not the full operation, which would require additional air defenses, engineers, intelligence teams, and medical units.

The US has been negotiating a deal with Iran, but so far, there's been no breakthrough. Trump is still pursuing a negotiated reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, but the talks have stalled over sanctions, military threats, and competing demands for reparations.