The island of Kharg is located in the northern Persian Gulf, 25 km from the Iranian coast and 200 km from Iraq or Kuwait. Despite its small size, it serves as Iran’s main oil terminal, through which the majority of the country’s crude exports pass via a network of terminals, large reservoirs, and port facilities linked to the oil fields in the southwest.
It is therefore an essential “economic center of gravity” for the functioning of the system and consequently a prime target for enemies of the Islamic Republic. During the 1980-1988 war, the Iraqis attempted to bomb the island for years, but failed to capture it or ultimately disrupt the traffic.
The situation has come to the forefront as the United States and Israel have launched a campaign of strikes against the Islamic Republic in an effort to destroy its nuclear program and strike capabilities in the region, or ideally, overthrow or permanently subdue its regime.
This campaign has triggered a counter campaign of missile and drone strikes across the region and a control of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz using various anti-access means that Iran possesses. It is a challenging war to sustain militarily, economically, and politically for both sides for more than a few months. This is where the idea of conquering Kharg comes in, as a catalyst for history.
The complete destruction of Kharg’s facilities would be a significant blow to Iran for years, but likely too destabilizing. Seizing it by American forces, however, would contribute to the economic suffocation of the enemy without jeopardizing the country’s future, provide leverage for potential negotiations, and achieve a bold breakthrough.
This is not an easy task, as the island is well defended by a garrison of a thousand soldiers, half of whom are dedicated to air defense, equipped with short and medium-range firing batteries, and located within the distant defenses of the Iranian navy’s 2nd base in Bushehr.
Capturing Kharg would begin with neutralizing and, if possible, destroying these defenses through aerial strikes, potentially using helicopters and AH-64 and A-10 attack aircraft from Kuwait, as announced by General Dan Caine. This neutralization phase could last several days or even weeks before ending just moments before the assault, most likely by helicopter and at night.
The minimal requirement for seizing such a crucial objective is an infantry battalion. The 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), arriving with the Tripoli amphibious group, is perfectly suited for this type of mission. It could also be a battalion of Rangers, elite infantry integrated into U.S. special forces, or any airborne assault battalion from the 82nd or 101st divisions, most likely deployed from Kuwait.
An airborne assault group has a medium operational radius of 300 km. Therefore, the departure point for the action must be relatively close to Kharg, either from Kuwait for the U.S. Army or from a temporary base on the coast for the 31st MEU arriving from the Gulf of Oman.
This temporary base is mainly used to set up the two assault waves and refuel. If the 31st MEU were engaged, it would be divided into two assault waves with 300 soldiers from three companies in the first wave, carried by 20 to 25 heavy CH-53 helicopters or hybrid MV-22 Osprey, escorted by 4 to 6 AH-1 attack helicopters and supported by the F-35B squadron for the final strike sequence.
The three Marine companies would be inserted at night at the center of the island to capture the airstrip in the northeast, infrastructure in the northwest, and oil facilities in the south. Meanwhile, Osprey and CH-53 would retrieve the second wave, heavily equipped, and if necessary, a U.S. Army battalion.
The conquest phase, which could take several days, will be followed by the establishment of anti-drone and anti-ship defenses as Iranian harassment is anticipated. In the end, if the Americans accept the inherent risks of such an operation, including likely losses (even minimal), nothing will stop them from seizing Kharg Island, marking their first major tactical success in this war.
[Context: The article describes a hypothetical military operation to capture Kharg Island as a strategic move in a conflict involving the U.S. and the Islamic Republic of Iran.]
[Fact Check: The details provided in the article are speculative and do not reflect actual events or current military operations. Kharg Island is a real location known for its oil facilities in the Persian Gulf.]
