US Marines deploy as Trump weighs seizing Iran’s ‘Crown Jewel’ Kharg Island

Dubai: The deployment of US Marines to the Middle East is raising fresh questions about Washington’s next moves in the escalating conflict with Iran — and whether Tehran’s key oil export hub on Kharg Island, often described as the “crown jewel” of Iran’s energy sector, could become a target.

A Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), typically consisting of around 2,500 to 3,000 personnel, has been deployed to the region as tensions rise in the Gulf. The move comes as US President Donald Trump is reportedly weighing the possibility of seizing Kharg Island, a strategic facility that handles most of Iran’s crude exports.

According to Axios, citing US officials, the option is being considered as Washington searches for ways to break Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, the critical shipping route for global oil supplies.

The island, located about 30 kilometres off Iran’s southern coast in the Arabian Gulf, processes roughly 90 per cent of the country’s crude exports, making it one of the most economically vital assets in the conflict.

US officials cited by Axios said capturing the island could deal what one described as an “economic knockout” to Tehran by cutting off a major source of revenue for the Iranian government.

However, officials stressed that no final decision has been taken and that the risks of such a move remain significant.

The arrival of a Marine Expeditionary Unit provides Washington with a flexible military option in the Gulf.

An MEU is designed for rapid-response missions and includes infantry units, helicopters, fighter aircraft and amphibious assault ships capable of launching operations from the sea.

Such forces are often deployed when the United States wants the ability to conduct a range of missions, including securing key infrastructure, evacuating civilians or carrying out limited amphibious assaults.

Military analysts say the presence of Marines would be essential if the US were to attempt to secure offshore infrastructure such as Kharg Island.

Unlike inland targets, Kharg Island sits in the Arabian Gulf and is accessible primarily by sea. This makes it a scenario where amphibious forces — such as Marines — would likely play a central role.

In a potential operation, naval and air strikes would first target Iranian military installations on the island. Amphibious ships carrying Marines could then deploy troops and equipment to secure key facilities, including oil terminals and storage infrastructure.

Such an operation would aim to deny Iran access to its main oil export hub without necessarily destroying the infrastructure itself.

Control of Kharg Island could severely restrict Iran’s ability to sell crude oil abroad, cutting off revenue that funds much of the country’s military and government spending.

Any attempt to seize the island would mark a dramatic escalation in the conflict by placing US troops directly on Iranian territory.

Israeli officials have also signalled caution. Reuven Azar, Israel’s ambassador to India, has said neither Washington nor Jerusalem intends to invade Iran, suggesting the focus remains on pressuring the Iranian leadership rather than occupying territory.

Despite efforts by Tehran to diversify its export routes, Kharg Island remains the backbone of Iran’s oil economy.

Energy analysts say roughly 90 per cent of Iran’s crude exports pass through the island’s terminals.

Because much of Iran’s coastline is too shallow for large tankers, Kharg developed into the country’s main oil export hub during the 1960s and 1970s.

Today it remains a critical vulnerability in Iran’s energy infrastructure — and a potential pressure point in the ongoing war.

US officials emphasise that the Kharg Island option remains only one of several possibilities being considered as Washington seeks to counter Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.

“There are big risks. There are big rewards,” one official told Axios. “The president isn’t there yet.”

For now, the deployment of Marines gives Washington the ability to act quickly — but it also highlights how the war in the Gulf could escalate if the conflict deepens.