US President Donald Trump has indicated that military strikes on Iran's Kharg Island oil facilities remain a possibility, signaling a significant escalation in the conflict's potential impact on global energy supply.
The president stated he had ordered forces to "hit everything but the oil," while explicitly noting that the exclusion of oil infrastructure is not permanent and could change at some point.
This development marks a sharp intensification of the threat to Iran's primary export hub, which handles the vast majority of the country's crude shipments.
The prospect of direct attacks on Kharg Island introduces a tangible risk of severe supply disruption, moving beyond previous warnings regarding shipping routes in the Strait of Hormuz.
Markets are likely to price in a higher probability of physical damage to export infrastructure, which could trigger a sharp spike in crude prices if realized.
The statement follows a series of escalating tensions, including previous US threats to seize the island and Iranian warnings to tanker operators to use approved routes or face forceful responses.