Trump Threatens Seizure of Iran's Kharg Island, Announces Major Attacks
On June 11, 2026, President Donald Trump announced via Truth Social that the U.S. military will launch "very hard" attacks on Iran and seize Kharg Island, Iran's primary oil export terminal, along with other oil infrastructure. This escalation follows the collapse of an April ceasefire and ongoing U.S.-Iran mutual attacks. Trump aims to gain total control over Iran's oil and gas markets, comparing it to U.S. actions in Venezuela. The threat risks crippling Iran's economy and disrupting global oil supplies.
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Trump Walks Back Threat to Strike Iran's Kharg Island Oil Terminal
President Donald Trump threatened on June 11 to strike Iran's Kharg Island, which handles approximately 90% of Iran's crude oil exports, and seize its energy infrastructure. He later called off the strikes, claiming progress in peace negotiations with Iranian leaders and regional powers. The threat and walkback follow two days of U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran, exposing cracks in a fragile April ceasefire. Kharg Island, a small coral island in the northern Persian Gulf, is Iran's primary oil export hub and a high-value target. The U.S. had previously struck the island in March and April. Analysts warn that an attack or invasion could drive up global oil prices, provoke Iranian retaliation, and endanger U.S. troops. The island is heavily guarded by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Iran also announced it had closed the Strait of Hormuz, though U.S. Central Command refuted that claim.
Council on Foreign RelationsTrump Walks Back Threat to Strike Iran's Kharg Island Oil Terminal
President Donald Trump threatened on June 11 to strike Iran's Kharg Island, which handles approximately 90% of Iran's crude oil exports, and seize its energy infrastructure. However, he later walked back the threat, claiming progress in peace negotiations with Iranian leaders and regional powers. The threat and reversal follow two days of U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran, which Iran's foreign ministry said rendered the April ceasefire 'practically meaningless.' The ceasefire had been fragile due to disagreements over Iran's nuclear program and the Strait of Hormuz. Iran announced it had closed the strategic waterway, though U.S. Central Command refuted this. Kharg Island, a small heavily guarded island in the northern Persian Gulf, has been Iran's primary oil export hub for decades and is considered vital to its economy. Analysts warn that an attack or invasion could drive up global oil prices, provoke retaliation, and endanger U.S. military personnel. The U.S. had previously struck the island in March and April, with Trump later walking back threats to 'wipe out' its infrastructure.
Council on Foreign RelationsTrump vows to seize Iran's Kharg Island amid fraying ceasefire
President Donald Trump threatened to seize Iran's Kharg Island, the linchpin of its oil industry handling 90% of crude exports, escalating pressure on Tehran amid a fraying ceasefire. In a Truth Social post, Trump said the US would hit Iran 'VERY HARD TONIGHT' and eventually take control of Kharg Island and other oil infrastructure. However, he later questioned whether America has the 'stomach' for a larger military operation, ruling out boots on the ground but suggesting a small force could take the island. The White House stated all military options remain available. The threats come as US Central Command conducted strikes against Iranian military capabilities, and Iran's foreign ministry declared the April ceasefire 'practically meaningless' after US attacks. Trump's political coalition is divided between foreign policy hawks and isolationist 'America First' voices over the use of ground troops.
Defense NewsTrump threatens to seize Iran's Kharg Island amid fraying ceasefire
President Donald Trump threatened on June 11, 2026, to seize Iran's Kharg Island, which handles roughly 90% of Iran's crude oil exports, escalating pressure on Tehran amid a fraying ceasefire. In a Truth Social post, Trump said the US would hit Iran 'VERY HARD TONIGHT' and eventually take control of Kharg Island and other oil infrastructure. However, in a subsequent Fox & Friends interview, he questioned whether America has the 'stomach' for a larger military operation and ruled out boots on the ground, though the White House stated all military options remain available. The threat comes as US and Israeli forces attacked Iran on Feb. 28, and hostilities have risen despite an April ceasefire. Iran's foreign ministry called the ceasefire 'practically meaningless' after recent US strikes. Trump's political coalition is divided between foreign policy hawks and isolationist 'America First' voices.
Army TimesTrump vows to seize Iran’s Kharg Island amid fraying ceasefire
President Donald Trump threatened to seize Iran's Kharg Island, which handles roughly 90% of Iran's crude oil exports, escalating pressure on Tehran amid a fraying ceasefire. In a Truth Social post, Trump said the U.S. would hit Iran 'VERY HARD TONIGHT' and eventually take control of the island and other oil infrastructure. However, he later expressed doubt about America's appetite for a larger military operation, ruling out boots on the ground but suggesting a small force could take the island. The White House stated all military options remain available. The threat comes as U.S. Central Command conducted strikes against Iranian military capabilities, and Iran's foreign ministry declared the ceasefire 'practically meaningless.' Trump's political coalition is divided between hawks and isolationist voices, and the seizure proposal diverges from the original four objectives of Operation Epic Fury.
Military TimesTrump Vows to Seize Iran's Kharg Island Amid Fraying Ceasefire
President Donald Trump threatened on June 11, 2026, to seize Iran's Kharg Island, which handles roughly 90% of Iran's crude oil exports, escalating pressure on Tehran amid a deteriorating ceasefire. In a Truth Social post, Trump said the U.S. would hit Iran 'VERY HARD TONIGHT' and eventually take control of the island and other oil infrastructure. However, he later questioned whether America has the 'stomach' for a larger military operation, ruling out boots on the ground but suggesting a small force could take the island. The White House stated all military options remain available. The threat comes as U.S. Central Command conducted strikes against Iranian military targets, and Iran's foreign ministry called the ceasefire 'practically meaningless.' Trump's political coalition is divided between hawks and isolationist 'America First' voices. The proposal diverges from the original four objectives of Operation Epic Fury, which aimed to destroy Iran's missile arsenal, navy, air force, prevent nuclear development, and curtail proxy support.
Air Force TimesTrump vows to seize Iran's Kharg Island amid fraying ceasefire
President Donald Trump threatened on June 11, 2026, to seize Iran's Kharg Island, which handles roughly 90% of Iran's crude oil exports, escalating pressure on Tehran amid a fraying ceasefire. In a Truth Social post, Trump said the US would hit Iran 'VERY HARD TONIGHT' and eventually take control of the island and other oil infrastructure. However, he later questioned whether America has 'the stomach' for a larger military operation, ruling out boots on the ground but suggesting a small force could take the island. The White House stated all military options remain available. The threat comes as US Central Command conducted strikes against Iranian military capabilities, and Iran's foreign ministry called the ceasefire 'practically meaningless.' Trump's political coalition is divided between hawks and isolationist 'America First' voices over the use of ground troops.
Navy TimesTrump Vows to Seize Iran's Kharg Island Amid Fraying Ceasefire
President Donald Trump threatened on June 11, 2026, to seize Iran's Kharg Island, which handles roughly 90% of Iran's crude oil exports, escalating pressure on Tehran amid a deteriorating ceasefire. In a Truth Social post, Trump said the U.S. would hit Iran 'VERY HARD TONIGHT' and eventually take control of the island and other oil infrastructure. However, he later tempered his rhetoric on Fox & Friends, questioning whether America has the 'stomach' for a larger military operation and ruling out boots on the ground. The White House stated all military options remain available. The threat comes as U.S. Central Command conducted strikes against Iranian military targets, and Iran's foreign ministry declared the April ceasefire 'practically meaningless.' Trump's political coalition is divided between hawks and isolationist 'America First' voices over the scope of military engagement.
Air Force TimesTrump vows to seize Iran's Kharg Island amid fraying ceasefire
President Donald Trump threatened on Thursday to seize Iran's Kharg Island, which handles roughly 90% of Iran's crude oil exports, escalating pressure on Tehran as a ceasefire signed in April frays. In a Truth Social post, Trump said the US would hit Iran 'VERY HARD TONIGHT' and eventually take control of the island and other oil infrastructure. However, he later questioned whether America has the stomach for a larger military operation, ruling out boots on the ground but suggesting a small force could take the island. The White House stated all military options remain available. The threat comes amid rising hostilities, with US Central Command conducting strikes on Iranian military surveillance, communication, and air defense sites. Iran's foreign ministry called the ceasefire 'practically meaningless' after the US attacks. Trump's political coalition is divided between foreign policy hawks and isolationist 'America First' voices, and the seizure proposal diverges from the original four objectives of Operation Epic Fury.
Air Force TimesTrump vows to seize Iran's Kharg Island amid fraying ceasefire
President Donald Trump threatened to seize Iran's Kharg Island, which handles 90% of Iran's crude oil exports, escalating pressure on Tehran as a ceasefire signed in April frays. In a Truth Social post, Trump said the US would hit Iran 'VERY HARD TONIGHT' and eventually take control of the island and other oil infrastructure. However, in a subsequent Fox & Friends interview, he questioned whether America has the 'stomach' for a larger military operation and ruled out boots on the ground, though the White House said all military options remain available. The threat comes amid rising hostilities, with US Central Command conducting strikes against Iranian military assets and Iran retaliating against US bases in Bahrain, Jordan, and Kuwait. Iran's foreign ministry called the ceasefire 'practically meaningless.' Trump's political coalition is divided between hawks and isolationist 'America First' voices, and the seizure proposal diverges from the original war aims of Operation Epic Fury.
Marine Corps TimesTrump vows to seize Iran's Kharg Island amid fraying ceasefire
President Donald Trump threatened on June 11, 2026, to seize Iran's Kharg Island, which handles roughly 90% of Iran's crude oil exports, escalating pressure on Tehran amid a fraying ceasefire. In a Truth Social post, Trump said the US would hit Iran 'VERY HARD TONIGHT' and eventually take control of Kharg Island and other oil infrastructure. However, he later tempered this by questioning whether America has the 'stomach' for a larger military operation and ruled out boots on the ground, though the White House said all military options remain available. The threat comes as US and Iranian forces continue hostilities despite an April ceasefire, with US Central Command conducting strikes on Iranian military targets and Iran launching retaliatory strikes on American bases. The proposal diverges from the original four objectives of Operation Epic Fury, and Trump's political coalition remains divided between hawks and isolationist 'America First' voices.
Military TimesTrump Threatens to Seize Iran's Kharg Island Amid Fraying Ceasefire
President Donald Trump threatened on Thursday to seize Iran's Kharg Island, which handles roughly 90% of Iran's crude oil exports, escalating pressure on Tehran amid a deteriorating ceasefire. In a Truth Social post, Trump said the US would hit Iran 'VERY HARD TONIGHT' and eventually take control of the island and other oil infrastructure. However, he later expressed doubt about America's appetite for a larger military operation, ruling out boots on the ground but suggesting a small force could take the island. The White House stated all military options remain available. The threat comes as US and Israeli forces attacked Iran on Feb. 28, and hostilities have risen despite an April ceasefire. US Central Command conducted strikes on Iranian military surveillance, communication, and air defense sites. Iran's foreign ministry called the ceasefire 'practically meaningless' after the latest US attacks. Trump's political coalition is divided between foreign policy hawks and isolationist 'America First' voices opposed to ground troop deployment.
Marine Corps TimesTrump vows to seize Iran's Kharg Island amid fraying ceasefire
President Donald Trump threatened to seize Iran's Kharg Island, which handles roughly 90% of Iran's crude oil exports, escalating pressure on Tehran amid a fraying ceasefire. In a Truth Social post, Trump said the U.S. would hit Iran 'VERY HARD TONIGHT' and eventually take control of the island and other oil infrastructure. However, he later questioned whether America has the appetite for a larger military operation, ruling out boots on the ground but suggesting a small force could take the island. The proposal diverges from the original war aims of Operation Epic Fury. U.S. Central Command conducted strikes against Iranian military sites, while Iran called the ceasefire 'practically meaningless' and claimed retaliatory strikes against American bases. The article highlights tensions within Trump's coalition between hawks and isolationists.
Army TimesTrump Vows to Seize Iran's Kharg Island Amid Fraying Ceasefire
President Donald Trump threatened to seize Iran's Kharg Island, which handles 90% of Iran's crude oil exports, escalating pressure on Tehran amid a deteriorating ceasefire. In a Truth Social post, Trump said the U.S. would hit Iran 'VERY HARD TONIGHT' and later take control of the island and other oil infrastructure. However, he tempered his rhetoric in a Fox News interview, questioning whether America has the 'stomach' for a larger military operation and ruling out boots on the ground. The White House stated all military options remain available. The proposal diverges from the original war aims of Operation Epic Fury, which focused on destroying Iran's ballistic missiles, navy, air force, and proxy groups. U.S. Central Command conducted strikes on Iranian surveillance and air defense systems, while Iran dismissed the ceasefire as 'practically meaningless' and claimed retaliatory strikes on American bases.
Marine Corps TimesTrump vows to seize Iran’s Kharg Island amid fraying ceasefire
President Donald Trump threatened to seize Iran's Kharg Island, which handles 90% of Iran's crude oil exports, escalating pressure on Tehran amid a deteriorating ceasefire. In a Truth Social post, Trump said the U.S. would hit Iran 'VERY HARD TONIGHT' and eventually take control of Kharg Island and other oil infrastructure. However, he later expressed doubt about America's appetite for a larger military operation, ruling out boots on the ground but suggesting a small force could take the island. The threat comes as U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran since February have strained Trump's political coalition between hawks and isolationists. U.S. Central Command conducted strikes on Iranian military sites, while Iran retaliated against American bases and declared the April ceasefire 'practically meaningless.' The proposal diverges from the original four objectives of Operation Epic Fury.
Navy TimesTrump vows to seize Iran’s Kharg Island amid fraying ceasefire
President Donald Trump threatened on Thursday to seize Iran's Kharg Island, which handles roughly 90% of Iran's crude oil exports, escalating pressure on Tehran amid a fraying ceasefire. In a Truth Social post, Trump said the US would hit Iran 'VERY HARD TONIGHT' and eventually take control of the island and other oil infrastructure. However, he later questioned whether America has the appetite for a larger military operation, ruling out boots on the ground but suggesting a small force could take the island. The threat diverges from the original four objectives of Operation Epic Fury. Meanwhile, US Central Command conducted strikes against Iranian military capabilities, and Iran's foreign ministry called the ceasefire 'practically meaningless' after the latest US attacks. The article highlights tensions within Trump's coalition between hawks and isolationist 'America First' voices.
Navy TimesTrump Threatens to Seize Iran's Kharg Island Amid Fraying Ceasefire
President Donald Trump threatened on June 11, 2026, to seize Iran's Kharg Island, which handles roughly 90% of Iran's crude oil exports, escalating pressure on Tehran amid a deteriorating ceasefire. In a Truth Social post, Trump said the U.S. would hit Iran 'VERY HARD TONIGHT' and eventually take control of the island and other oil infrastructure. However, he later questioned whether America has the appetite for a larger military operation, ruling out boots on the ground but suggesting a small force could take the island. The threat comes as U.S. Central Command conducted strikes against Iranian military capabilities, and Iran's foreign ministry called the ceasefire 'practically meaningless.' Trump's political coalition is divided between hawks and isolationist 'America First' voices, and the proposal diverges from the original objectives of Operation Epic Fury.
Defense NewsTrump Vows to Seize Iran's Kharg Island Amid Fraying Ceasefire
President Donald Trump threatened to seize Iran's Kharg Island, the hub of Iran's oil exports, escalating pressure on Tehran as a ceasefire signed in April frays. In a Truth Social post, Trump said the U.S. would hit Iran 'VERY HARD TONIGHT' and eventually take control of the island and other oil infrastructure. However, he later expressed doubt about American appetite for a large ground operation, though he did not rule out a small troop deployment. The White House stated all military options remain available. The threat comes amid renewed U.S. strikes on Iranian military sites and Iranian retaliatory claims. The proposal diverges from the original four objectives of Operation Epic Fury and has deepened divisions within Trump's coalition between hawks and isolationists. Iran's foreign ministry condemned the U.S. attacks as rendering the ceasefire 'practically meaningless.'
Military TimesTrump vows to seize Iran's Kharg Island amid fraying ceasefire
President Donald Trump threatened to seize Iran's Kharg Island, which handles roughly 90% of Iran's crude oil exports, escalating pressure on Tehran as a ceasefire signed in April frays. In a Truth Social post, Trump said the US would hit Iran 'VERY HARD TONIGHT' and eventually take control of the island and other oil infrastructure. However, he later questioned whether America has the stomach for a larger military operation, ruling out boots on the ground but suggesting a small force could take the island. The proposal diverges from the original four objectives of Operation Epic Fury: destroying Iran's ballistic missiles, damaging its Navy and Air Force, preventing nuclear development, and curtailing proxy support. US Central Command conducted strikes Wednesday against Iranian military capabilities, while Iran retaliated against US bases in Bahrain, Jordan, and Kuwait, calling the ceasefire 'practically meaningless.' Trump's political coalition is divided between hawks and isolationist 'America First' voices.
Army TimesTrump Threatens to Seize Iran's Kharg Island Amid Fraying Ceasefire
President Donald Trump threatened to seize Iran's Kharg Island, the linchpin of its oil industry handling 90% of crude exports, escalating pressure on Tehran amid a fraying ceasefire. In a Truth Social post, Trump vowed to hit Iran 'VERY HARD TONIGHT' and take control of the island and other oil infrastructure. However, he later questioned whether America has the appetite for a larger military operation, ruling out boots on the ground but suggesting a small force could take the island. The threat comes as US and Israeli attacks on Iran since February have riven Trump's political coalition between hawks and isolationists. US Central Command conducted strikes on Iranian military surveillance and air defense sites, while Iran called the ceasefire 'practically meaningless' and claimed retaliatory strikes on US bases. The proposal diverges from the original four objectives of Operation Epic Fury.
Defense News