Kharg Island, explained: Why it matters in the Iran war

President Donald Trump shared an AI-generated video Aug. 30 depicting Iran's Kharg Island being "blown to smithereens," thrusting one of the country's most important oil facilities back into the spotlight. The island was not targeted in the latest U.S. strikes on Iran, but its outsized role in the global energy market has left many asking: What is Kharg Island, and why is it so important?

Located in the Persian Gulf, Kharg Island has long served as Iran's oil export hub, handling about 90% of the country's crude exports before the war. While recent U.S. attacks targeted Larak Island, not Kharg, any disruption to the island's infrastructure could have major consequences for Iran's economy and global oil markets.

Before the war, roughly 90% of Iran's crude oil exports flowed through Kharg Island, making it the country's most important oil hub. Those exports have been disrupted by a U.S. blockade on Iranian ports.

The island sits in the northern Persian Gulf, about 16 miles off Iran's coast and about 300 miles from the Strait of Hormuz, the strategically vital shipping corridor between Iran, Oman and the United Arab Emirates.

Kharg Island has remained a flashpoint throughout the conflict. Hamid Bovard, chief executive…

Original source: https://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/