WSJ: US Marines May Seize Iran's Kharq Island

• 19.03.2026, 22:10

Iran does about 90% of its oil exports through this island.

The 31st U.S. Marine Expeditionary Unit deployed to the Middle East may seize one or more islands off the coast of Iran. The Americans are particularly interested in Kharq Island, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing former and current U.S. officials.

The newspaper said the expeditionary force (about 2,200 personnel) is aboard the USS Tripoli, a landing ship that is heading toward the Arabian Peninsula and will arrive at its destination in about a week.

Iran controls several islands southeast of its coast. The most significant of these is Kharq, with an oil terminal through which Iran does about 90% of its crude exports. On March 14, Donald Trump announced a strike on the island. However, according to the US president, the oil infrastructure on the island was not destroyed "for reasons of decency". Trump did not rule out destroying oil facilities on the island if Iran continues to block the Strait of Hormuz.

The newspaper's sources said that the US Marines may not destroy Hark's infrastructure but seize the island to use their control over it as leverage against Iran.