US president claims military targets were “obliterated” in one of the most powerful strikes in the region
Donald Trump has said the United States carried out a massive bombing raid on Kharg Island, claiming American forces destroyed every military target there in what he described as one of the most powerful strikes in the region’s history.
The U.S. president announced the operation in a post on the social media platform Truth Social on Friday evening.
He said the attack targeted what he called “Iran’s crown jewel”, referring to the strategic island in the Persian Gulf.
“Moments ago, at my direction, the United States Central Command executed one of the most powerful bombing raids in the history of the Middle East and totally obliterated every military target in Iran’s crown jewel, Kharg Island,” Trump wrote.
Strategic oil hub
Kharg Island is a small island belonging to Iran, located in the northern Persian Gulf.
Roughly five miles long and about two and a half miles wide, the island serves as the main terminal for nearly all of Iran’s oil exports, making it one of the most strategically important energy sites in the country.
Until now, it had largely been spared in the ongoing military campaign involving the United States and Israel.
Trump said the raid specifically targeted military facilities, adding that U.S. forces deliberately avoided destroying the island’s oil infrastructure.
“For reasons of decency, I have chosen not to wipe out the oil infrastructure on the island,” he said.
Warning over Strait of Hormuz
Trump warned that the decision could change if Iran interferes with shipping in the nearby Strait of Hormuz.
The narrow waterway is one of the world’s most critical energy routes, carrying a large share of global oil shipments.
“Should Iran, or anyone else, do anything to interfere with the free and safe passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz, I will immediately reconsider this decision,” Trump wrote.
The strait has been a focal point of tensions during the ongoing conflict.
Trump boasts of US military power
In the same statement, Trump praised the strength of the U.S. armed forces.
He said the American military had been rebuilt during his presidency into “the most lethal, powerful and effective force anywhere in the world.”
He also warned that Iran lacked the ability to defend itself against U.S. strikes.
“Iran has no ability to defend anything that we want to attack,” he said.
Trump repeated his long-standing pledge that Iran would never be allowed to develop nuclear weapons.
“Iran will never have a nuclear weapon, nor will it have the ability to threaten the United States, the Middle East or the world,” he wrote.
Earlier comments on possible operation
In an interview broadcast earlier Friday on Fox News, Trump was asked whether the United States might seize Kharg Island.
He dismissed the question, suggesting it would be foolish for a president to reveal military plans.
“Let’s say I was going to do it or let’s say I wasn’t going to do it — why would I tell you?” he said.
The comments came as fighting between Iran and its regional adversaries continues to escalate, raising fears that the conflict could further disrupt global energy markets and shipping routes.
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Adapted by ASEAN Now · Source · 13.03 2026