ISLAMABAD – Smoke billowed over US Embassy in Baghdad as a sudden strike hit diplomatic compound, escalating already intense regional tensions.
Reports in international news said a missile struck the embassy complex and there was damage. The strike came only hours after two Iran-aligned fighters were reportedly killed in separate attacks in Baghdad, further fueling fears that the region could be sliding toward a wider conflict.
On the other hand, at center of the crisis is Kharg Island, Iran’s most important oil export hub. US President Donald Trump revealed that American forces launched massive airstrikes against military installations on the island. According to Trump, the operation targeted strategic military facilities but intentionally avoided oil infrastructure.
Kharg Island Bombing
Kharg Island is widely considered the backbone of Iran’s oil economy, with analysts estimating that nearly 90% of Iran’s oil exports pass through the island. Any disruption there could have major global energy consequences.
Iranian media quickly reported the scale of the attack. More than 15 explosions were heard across the island during the strikes. According to the report, the targets included air defense systems, a naval base, the airport’s control tower, and a helicopter hangar.
Despite the heavy bombardment, Iranian state media insisted that the island’s critical oil facilities were not damaged.
Amid the tensed situation, additional American forces are expected to deploy to the Middle East. The reinforcements are likely to come from an amphibious ready group and Marine expeditionary unit led by the USS Tripoli (LHA-7), an amphibious assault ship stationed in Japan. Such a force typically includes about 5,000 sailors and Marines spread across several warships.
The potential deployment was first reported by The Wall Street Journal, though the Pentagon has not officially confirmed the troop movements, as future deployments are usually kept confidential.
Trump doubled down on the operation’s success while boarding Air Force One for a trip to Florida. Posting on Truth Social, he declared that United States Central Command had carried out “one of the most powerful bombing raids in the history of the Middle East,” claiming every military target on Kharg Island had been “totally obliterated.”
Trump issued a stark warning, saying American forces chose not to strike oil facilities this time, he said that decision could quickly change if Iran, or any other actor, attempts to disrupt shipping through the strategic Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical maritime trade routes.
Tehran responded with fierce warning of its own. Iranian military officials said that if the country’s energy infrastructure were attacked, oil and energy facilities belonging to companies cooperating with the United States would be “destroyed and turned into ashes.”
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