Attack on Khark Island. Trump Celebrates Victory Against Iran. Summary of the 15th Day of the Middle East War

The US struck Iran's "Jewel" - Khark Island, but the loss information released by both the US and Iran differs greatly. Trump has already celebrated victory, while experts consider this move hasty. What is the current situation in the Middle East?

Thick Smoke Over Fujairah

In the early morning, a loud alarm rang out at the Fujairah Port in the UAE — an Iranian drone attack hit a key oil terminal, with black smoke rising to the sky. Videos on social media show that the oil storage facilities are on fire, with the sound of alarms in the background. Iranian state media directly announced:

Not only energy facilities, but offices of several major American technology companies in the Middle East have become "legitimate targets of attack".

American company employees received clear advice: immediately evacuate their office locations. The war has changed daily commutes, and people are urgently evacuating to the airport.

Hormuz Strait "Blocked", Countries' Budgets Running Out

At the same time, the Trump administration faces increasing criticism: it severely underestimated the risk of Iran blocking the Hormuz Strait.

CNN cited White House sources saying that during the planning of the "Epic Fury" operation, neither the energy nor financial sectors considered the actual scale of economic losses. A few advisors had thought that Iran's losses would be more severe, but now:

  • 90% of Iraq's oil exports have been cut off
  • Fiscal revenue is exhausted
  • Baghdad warned: starting from April, civil servants' salaries may be suspended

U.S. Treasury Secretary Bensons and Energy Secretary Wright participated in the operation planning, but according to CNN, they almost completely ignored the risk of a comprehensive maritime blockade in the region, emphasizing only military advantages without deep analysis.

At the same time, negotiations between Iraqi authorities and the Kurdish Autonomous Region failed: the plan to transport 250,000 barrels per day of oil through Kirkuk to Turkey's Ceyhan port failed due to new economic conditions proposed by the Kurdish side.

Additionally, the Hormuz-Mor gas field was attacked, leading to a sharp drop in power generation in the Kurdish region of Iraq, with nearly two-thirds of the energy system paralyzed.

Oil Tankers in Peril, U.S. Forces Suffer Losses

Ships are冒险 navigating through the Hormuz Strait: since the U.S.-Israel action began, 16 oil tankers and ships have been attacked.

According to Iranian media IRIB and Press TV, another U.S. oil tanker caught fire in the southern part of the Sharjah Emirate, but details remain undisclosed. Shipping companies have urgently called for military escort, but no orders have been received yet.

It's not just infrastructure that has suffered losses: The Wall Street Journal reported that 13 U.S. military personnel have died since the conflict escalated, but this data is clearly significantly suppressed.

Trump Celebrates "Victory"

Amid the escalating sea and land conflicts, U.S. President Trump explicitly declared a "comprehensive victory" against Iran.

He said that the U.S. Air Force "completely destroyed" all military targets on the strategic location of Khark Island, famous in the Persian Gulf.

"According to my order, the U.S. Central Command has just carried out one of the largest air strikes in the history of the Middle East, completely destroying all military targets on Iran's jewel — Khark Island."

— Trump wrote on the social platform 'Truth Social.'

CNN cited anonymous U.S. military sources saying that the main targets of the strike were:

  • Underground missile bunkers
  • Minelaying warehouses
  • Other military facilities

The sources said the operation was massive in scale.

However, Iranian state media said the opposite: missile systems and oil facilities survived the attack, and the air defense system remained operational.

Ibrahim Zolfaghari, spokesperson for the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps' "Hataam-e-Abbas" command, made a strong statement:

Any attack on Iran's oil, economy, or energy facilities will lead to retaliation — similar energy facilities related to the United States in the region will be reduced to ashes.

Internal Strife in the U.S.: Vance "Cuts Ties" with the Middle East War

Political infighting within the U.S. is also intensifying. Vance (JD Vance) is desperately trying to distance himself from the Middle East conflict, implying that the outcome of the war is unrelated to him.

If the Republican Party loses the election, the blame will be shifted to the "hawks" — Hedges, Rubio, and even possibly to the artificial intelligence heavily used in formulating the military plans.

American expert Malik Dudakov commented:

Vance should have been responsible for the Republican Congress election preparations, which was originally a "suicidal task." However, in the context of the war against Iran, he skillfully implemented a "strategic withdrawal," keeping as far away from the Middle East conflict as possible and clearly indicating his lack of support.

If the Republicans lose, all the blame can be shifted onto the hawks like Hedges and Rubio, who will likely pass the blame onto artificial intelligence.

Inside, some even joked: the war plan looked like it was written by a chatbot — the White House decision-making completely followed a general algorithm, completely ignoring regional realities.

Original article: toutiao.com/article/7617132860516680235/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author alone.