 "A satellite image shows an oil terminal at Kharg Island, Iran, February 25, 2026. 2026 Planet Labs PBC/Handout via Reuters (File Photo)")
Nearly two weeks ago, US forces bombed what Trump called military targets on Kharg Island. Now, there are reports that the United States may be looking to launch a ground invasion and even take the island by force.
This comes as Washington has sent thousands of troops from the 82nd Airborne Division and 5,000 Marines to West Asia.
But how is Iran preparing for a possible invasion? Why is this dangerous? Let’s take a closer look.
A brief look at Kharg Island
Kharg Island is located around 25 kilometres off Iran’s coast. The island, which is home to Iran’s main crude oil export terminal, handles almost all of the country’s oil exports.
The oil export terminal has been operational since the 1960s, when it was established by Iran with help from the US oil company Amoco. According to the Financial Times, the island can load up to seven million barrels of crude oil per day. It accounts for 90 per cent of Iran’s oil exports.
According to The Economic Times, it is connected to major oilfields in southern Iran via undersea pipelines. The island’s long jetties, which extend into deep water, allow supertankers to load crude. The island is also home to massive storage and housing facilities for workers.
The terminal receives crude from three major offshore fields — Aboozar, Forouzan and Dorood. The island’s deep surrounding waters allow supertankers to dock safely and load crude.
The crude oil is transported via a complex network of subsea pipelines to onshore processing facilities. It is later stored or shipped to global markets, reported Al Jazeera.
The crude processed at the island is primarily exported to Asia, with China as the leading market.
How Iran is preparing
CNN reported that Iran has been moving military personnel and air defences to Kharg Island over the past few weeks. Tehran has equipped troops with additional shoulder-fired, surface-to-air guided missile systems known as MANPADs. It is also laying traps for US troops, including anti-personnel and anti-armour mines around the island.
Iran has warned the US that it is watching its troop movements closely.
The Speaker of Iran’s parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, on Wednesday warned the country’s “enemies” against attempting to occupy any Iranian islands.
“Based on some data, Iran’s enemies, with the support of one of the regional countries, are preparing to occupy one of the Iranian islands,” Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf posted on X. “All enemy movements are under the full surveillance of our armed forces. If they step out of line, all the vital infrastructure of that regional country will, without restriction, become the target of relentless attacks.”
Why such a mission could be dangerous
Experts say that the thousands of troops that have been called up are not nearly enough for such an operation. They estimate that the US would need closer to 10,000 troops, combined with massive air and naval support, to take the island.
More importantly, taking the island and holding it are two very different challenges. This is because Kharg Island is within rocket and missile range of mainland Iran.
Some analysts say it could become a costly affair.
Ruben Stewart of the International Institute for Strategic Studies told The Times that the 82nd Airborne Division is “not optimised to seize an island like Kharg on their own.”
Others say things could get ugly.
“I would be very worried about this,” retired Admiral James Stavridis, the former NATO Supreme Allied Commander, told CNN. “Iranians are clever and ruthless. They will do everything they can to inflict maximum casualties on US forces both on the ships at sea, and especially once ground troops are anywhere in their sovereign territory.”
Former US Army intelligence analyst Harrison Mann told Democracy Now that “any attempt to seize this island would be close to a suicide mission.”
Mann said the possibility that US troops could be trapped on the island, or that such an operation could result in mass casualties, would be far more important to Iranian leadership than the terminal itself.
They say it could escalate the conflict even further and draw America deeper into the war.
“Kharg Island is a lifeline for Iran’s economy,” Dania Thafer, executive director of the Gulf International Forum, a think tank based in Washington, DC, told CNN_._ Tehran would “likely escalate sharply” if the island is attacked, she added. This includes intensifying strikes on US forces and Gulf energy infrastructure.
Virginia Burger, a Marine veteran and senior defence policy analyst at the Project on Government Oversight’s Center for Defense Information, questioned the long-term viability of such an operation.
“Why are we going into something that [could be] so protracted?” Burger asked Democracy Now. “Iran has a vote in this, right? We do not exist in a vacuum — the Marines are not just going to walk onto Kharg Island unopposed. What is that going to look like, in terms of loss of American lives and equipment?”
FAQs
1) Why is Kharg Island so important?
Kharg Island handles around 90 per cent of Iran’s crude oil exports, making it the backbone of the country’s economy and a key node in global energy markets.
2) How is Iran preparing for a possible invasion?
Iran has deployed additional troops and air defences, including MANPADS, and is laying mines and traps across the island while closely monitoring US troop movements.
3) Why do experts say the mission could be dangerous?
Experts warn that current troop levels may be insufficient, the island is heavily defended and within range of Iranian missiles, and any operation could lead to heavy casualties and wider escalation.
With inputs from agencies