Donald Trump reported on Friday on his actual Social social network that American forces carried out "one of the strongest bombings in mediate east history". The intent of the operation was to be military installations on the Iranian island of Kharg Island, located in the Persian Gulf.
U.S. attack on Khark Island. Iranian oil infrastructure intact
– We destroyed all military targets on Iran's crown jewel – the island of Khark – wrote the president of the United States. Trump besides stressed that the United States did not intentionally hit the island's oil infrastructure, which is crucial for Iran's economy.
– Our weapons are the most powerful and advanced that the planet has always seen, but by pure decency I decided NOT to destruct oil infrastructure on this island. However, if Iran or anyone else does anything to hinder the free and safe movement of ships through the Ormuz Strait, I will immediately reconsider this decision – he warned.
The recording published by Trump and geolocated by CNN shows impacts on airport facilities on the island, including the runway. According to U.S. officials, as quoted by the station, the attacks were "large scaled" and the mark were, among others, naval mine magazines, rocket bunkers and another military facilities.
Iranian state media reported that there were more than 15 explosions on the island, but the oil infrastructure was not damaged. The Iranian authorities have already announced that possible impacts on power installations will meet with immediate response.
– All oil, economical and energy installations belonging to companies in the region, which are partially owned by the US or cooperating with the United States, will be immediately destroyed and turned to ash," said the spokesperson for the central office of Khatam al-Anbiya, quoted by the state media.
Why is Khark Island so important?
The island of Khark is simply a small, about eight-kilometre long long of land located about 25 kilometres from the Iranian coast in the Persian Gulf. Although the area is tiny – it has only about a 3rd of the size of Manhattan – plays a key function in the Iranian economy.
It is there that oil from the largest Iranian oil fields, including Ahvaz, Marun or Gachsaran. The natural material is transported by pipeline to the island, where there is simply a immense transhipment terminal.
Thanks to long bridges reaching deep waters of the Persian Gulf, the island can handle the world’s largest tankers. It is estimated that around 90 percent of Iranian oil exports pass through the terminal on Khark Island. There are besides immense retention tanks on the island – their full capacity is estimated at about 30 million barrels of oil.
The importance of Khark for the Iranian economy was emphasized decades ago. 1 of the CIA papers of the 1980s identified the infrastructure there as "the most crucial component of the Iranian oil system", whose functioning is crucial to the stableness of the country's economy.
The demolition of the export terminal would mean a serious blow to the Iranian economy – and its reconstruction could take months or even more than a year. Experts besides inform that a possible impact on oil installations on the island of Khark could importantly exacerbate the conflict in the region and lead to a sharp emergence in oil prices worldwide, notes CNN.
Iran is 1 of the largest global oil producers. According to manufacture data, the country produces about 3.3 million barrels of oil per day and an additional 1.3 million barrels of condensate and another liquid fuels, equivalent to about 4.5 percent of global supply.
