Trump Says U.S. Bombs ‘Obliterated’ Military Targets on Kharg Island

This sheet is getting real!

Trump Says U.S. Bombs ‘Obliterated’ Military Targets on Kharg Island

The Pentagon is moving a Marine expeditionary unit to the gulf. Five U.S. Air Force refueling planes were struck at a U.S. air base in Saudi Arabia

President Trump announced on social media a major bombing raid, saying it had “obliterated every MILITARY target in Iran’s crown jewel, Kharg Island,” in an operation meant to pressure Iran into reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

Five U.S. Air Force refueling planes were struck and damaged on the ground at Prince Sultan air base in Saudi Arabia, according to two U.S. officials. There were no deaths.

The Pentagon is moving a Marine expeditionary unit and more warships to the Middle East, as Iran steps up its attacks in the Strait of Hormuz.

Here is what else to know:

• President Trump said Friday that the U.S. Navy would start escorting oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz “very soon.”

• Thirteen servicemembers have been killed in action during Operation Epic Fury, according to the military.

• Vice President JD Vance said Iran's new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei was hurt in strikes. "We don't know exactly how bad," he said.

• Qatar said it is evacuating several areas in the country amid threats of Iranian attacks.

• Oil prices rose back above $100, after dipping below that level following the U.S. decision to allow countries to purchase sanctioned Russian crude already at sea.

US obliterates ‘every MILITARY target’ on Iran’s oil-critical Kharg Island in historic bombing raid, Trump says

By Victor Nava, NY Post

Published March 13, 2026

Military targets on Iran’s Kharg Island – the loading site for most of the Islamic Republic’s oil exports – were “totally obliterated” by US airstrikes during a historic bombing raid in the Persian Gulf, President Trump announced Friday.

“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 on Truth Social.

The island, located about 16 miles off the Iranian coast, is one-third the size of Manhattan and controls 90% of Iranian crude oil exports.

Trump said the island’s oil infrastructure was not targeted but may be hit in future strikes, if the Iranian regime doesn’t allow ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.

“Our Weapons are the most powerful and sophisticated that the World has ever known but, for reasons of decency, I have chosen NOT to wipe out the Oil Infrastructure on the Island,” the president said.

“However, 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 warned.

The two-week conflict, dubbed Operation Epic Fury, hadn’t impacted the island — with Iran exporting more fuel than before the war started, according to the Wall Street Journal – until Friday’s strikes.

The US and Israel are both believed to be keen on seizing Kharg at some point in the war, The Post reported earlier this week.

Experts have told The Post that taking control of the oil-critical island could spell doom for Iran.

“Take it out, and this means cutting off the military budget in addition to pulling the plug on the basic services that keep Iranian society functioning,” said Mohammed Soliman, a senior fellow at the DC-based Middle East Institute.

“Losing Kharg for even a few weeks will create a security and societal crisis in Iran at the same time. Tehran doesn’t get to choose which one to deal with first,” said Soliman.

Former administration official John Ullyot added that seizing Kharg and its oil facilities would “cripple the regime.”

Trump, however, downplayed his interest in taking the island in an interview with Fox News Radio host Brian Kilmeade that aired Friday morning.

“It’s not high on the list, but it’s one of so many different things, and I can change my mind in seconds,” the president said.

Trump chided the “Fox & Friends” co-host for even bringing up the question – hours before he attacked the island.

“Let’s say I was going to do it, or let’s say I wasn’t going to do it. What would I tell you? ‘Oh, yes, Brian, I’m thinking about doing it, let me let you know what time and when it’ll take place.’… It’s sort of a foolish question,” he said.

In his announcement of the bombing run, Trump boasted that Iran “has NO ability to defend anything” the US military chooses to attack.

“During my First Term, and currently, I rebuilt our Military into the Most Lethal, Powerful, and Effective Force, by far, anywhere in the World,” the president said. “Iran has NO ability to defend anything that we want to attack — There is nothing they can do about it!”

He maintained that Iran “will NEVER have a nuclear weapon, nor will it have the ability to threaten the United States of America, the Middle East or, for that matter, the World!”

Trump further called on members of Iran’s military and anyone with ties to the regime to “lay down their arms, and save what’s left of their country, which isn’t much!”