What to know about Iran's Kharg Island as Trump threatens to seize it

World Why is Kharg Island important? What to know about the Iranian island Trump says U.S. may seize By Imtiaz Tyab Imtiaz Tyab Senior foreign correspondent Imtiaz Tyab is a CBS News senior foreign correspondent based in London and reports for all platforms, including the "CBS Evening News," "CBS Mornings," "CBS Sunday Morning" and CBS News 24/7. He has extensive experience reporting from major global flashpoints, including the Middle East and the war on terror. Read Full Bio Imtiaz Tyab Updated on: June 11, 2026 / 9:52 AM EDT / CBS News Add CBS News on Google President Trump said in a Truth Social post on June 11 that the United States would "be taking Kharg Island" and other key Iranian oil infrastructure "in the not too distant future," as the war between the two countries, launched jointly by the U.S. and Israel on Feb. 28, appeared to reignite. He told Fox News shortly after that he wasn't sure "America has the appetite" for an operation to seize the Iranian island, but the strategic patch of ground has been a recurring focus of the two countries' war for months. The U.S. military previously said strikes on March 13 had "totally obliterated" every military target on Kharg Island, thrusting the small isle into the global spotlight. Just 20 miles off Iran's northern Gulf coast, Kharg is a hub for Iranian oil exports, and Mr. Trump had signaled early in the war that the U.S. could try to use it as a bargaining chip to force Iran to drop its threats to the Strait of Hormuz and Persian Gulf states.President Trump warned in his June 11 social media post that the U.S. would hit Iran "very hard" immediately, and seize more of its infrastructure in the coming days.Here's what to know about Kharg Island, and why it is strategically valuable.What is Kharg Island? Kharg Island lies roughly 20 miles off Iran's northern Gulf coast. For decades, it has served as Iran's main oil export terminal, historically handling 85–95% of the country's crude...