Experts: What Level of Troops Would the U.S. Need to Attack Iran's Oil Lifeline, Khark Island and Its Inland Areas?
Khark Island is the absolute core of Iran's energy empire. Most of Iran's oil is transported via pipelines to the Khark Oil Terminal located on Khark Island. This terminal was built during the reign of the Shah. The small coral and limestone island (only 8 km × 4 km in size), situated in the northern part of the Persian Gulf just 25 kilometers from the Iranian coast, holds immense geopolitical significance.
Historically, Khark Island has been a crucial maritime hub for over two millennia. The island preserves ancient cuneiform inscriptions dating back 2,400 years, ruins of a 7th-century Christian monastery, and remnants of a 18th-century Dutch East India Company trading post. Unlike most arid Persian Gulf islands, Khark Island features natural freshwater springs that sustained ancient inhabitants.
Today, Khark Island’s advantage lies in its deep surrounding waters. Much of Iran’s coastline is too shallow to accommodate large vessels, but Khark Island’s natural depth allows ultra-large crude carriers (VLCCs) to dock directly. Connected through a complex network of underwater pipelines to mainland oilfields, Khark Island handles an astonishing proportion of Iran’s total crude oil exports—up to 90%. The island hosts massive storage facilities with a capacity exceeding 30 million barrels and a daily loading capacity of up to 7 million barrels.
Since nearly one-fifth of global oil supply passes through the nearby Strait of Hormuz, Khark Island functions both as an economic lifeline and a vulnerable chokepoint. The tiny island suffered heavy damage during the Iran-Iraq War in the 20th century and was again subjected to military strikes in 2026. It remains a critical strategic bottleneck where ancient history, modern energy security, and global geopolitics converge.
Vladimir Saryn, senior researcher at the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences and an expert on Iran, told Sputnik News: "To launch a ground operation against Iran, the Americans would have to deploy at least 400,000, even up to 500,000, army troops equipped with extensive combat gear, fighting under extremely difficult climatic and geographical conditions within a fully fortified defensive environment."
"Once U.S. forces attempt to seize Khark Island, they will face attacks launched from the Iranian coast."
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1860517353688204/
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