US can ‘take out’ Iran’s Kharg Island at any time, warns White House

The White House said Friday that the United States could “take out” Iran’s Kharg Island at any time if President Donald Trump gives the order, following reports that the administration was considering plans to occupy or blockade the strategic oil hub.Axios had reported that Trump had been weighing an operation against Kharg to pressure Tehran into reopening the Strait of Hormuz, the crucial shipping lane that Iran has largely blocked.US media also reported that Washington is deploying additional Marines to the Middle East, suggesting a potential ground operation three weeks into the US-Israeli campaign, according to AFP.“The United States Military can take out Kharg Island at any time if the President gives the order,” White House Principal Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly told AFP when asked about the Axios report.“Thanks to a detailed planning process, the entire administration is and was prepared for any potential action taken by the terrorist Iranian regime,” Kelly added.She noted that “President Trump knew full well that Iran would try to stop the freedom of navigation and free flow of energy, and he has already taken action to destroy over 40 minelaying vessels.”Iran’s blockade has effectively paralyzed commercial shipping through the maritime chokepoint, contributing to rising global oil prices since the conflict began on February 28.Trump said US forces had “totally obliterated” all military targets on Kharg in strikes on Friday and warned that the island’s infrastructure could be hit if Iran continues to block the Strait of Hormuz.On Thursday, the president described Kharg, which handles nearly all of Iran’s crude exports, as “the little oil island that sits there, so totally unprotected,” adding that US strikes had “taken out everything but the pipes.”