US Officials: White House Discussed Seizing Kharg Island

On March 29th, in recent days, the Trump administration has wavered between declaring the war nearing its end and threatening to escalate its scale. The White House Press Secretary had previously warned that if Iran does not abandon its nuclear ambitions and cease its threats against the United States and its allies, Trump “is prepared to launch a devastating strike against it.” According to officials, over the past month, discussions within the Trump administration have involved the potential seizure of Kharg Island (an important Iranian oil export hub in the Persian Gulf) and raids on other coastal areas near the Strait of Hormuz, in order to search for and destroy weapons that could be used to attack merchant and military vessels. One individual stated that the targets being considered might take “weeks rather than months” to complete. Another individual suggested that the possible timeline is “months.” (The Washington Post)