Taking Kharg Island May Be a Big Risk for Little Reward

Even as US President Donald Trump speaks of “winding down” military action against Iran, there is increasing discussion of using the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), centered on the huge amphibious ship USS Tripoli, to seize and occupy Kharg Island at the northern corner of the Persian Gulf.

The eight square miles of Kharg are largely covered by enormous petroleum storage and piping complexes that move 90% of Iran’s oil exports to sea from the mainland, which is just 15 miles away. While the US has undertaken limited strikes on Kharg, successfully invading it would not only further cripple Iran’s economy, it could also provide a bargaining chip to force Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz at the Gulf’s entrance.