Hudson Institute Senior Fellow Can Kasapoglu examines United States military options regarding Iran’s island network in the Gulf, including the key oil export hub, Kharg Island, according to a March 30 analysis. The report comes as US forces aboard the USS Tripoli arrive in the Middle East.
The strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz and surrounding islands is central to global energy flows and maritime security. A significant portion of global shipping passes through this narrow corridor, making it a focal point for potential disruption by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Kasapoglu outlines that Kharg Island, despite its small size, serves as Iran’s primary oil export terminal and supports Tehran’s coercive power in the region. He notes that any attempt to reduce Iranian leverage over energy exports must consider not only Kharg but also other Iranian-controlled islands such as Qeshm, Abu Musa, Larak, Greater Tunb, and Lesser Tunb. These locations extend Iran’s surveillance capabilities and missile coverage across critical sea lanes.
Recent US military movements include the arrival of thousands of Marines from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit aboard USS Tripoli on March 27. The ship functions primarily as a light carrier for F-35B aircraft. The USS Boxer with another Marine unit has also left San Diego en route to the region.
Kasapoglu describes various threats facing any US operation against these islands: naval mines in narrow straits; anti-ship cruise missiles—some potentially supplied by China—and ballistic missiles capable of striking moving vessels at high speeds; persistent drone attacks; and hardened underground facilities resistant to airstrikes. He cites previous incidents involving Houthi forces using Iranian-supplied weapons against commercial ships.
The analysis details possible operational approaches for seizing Kharg or similar objectives—favoring rapid air insertion using tilt-rotor aircraft over amphibious landings—and highlights challenges such as sustaining supply lines under fire from drones or ballistic missiles. Kasapoglu warns that even if initial objectives are achieved, holding territory would require robust defenses due to continued asymmetric threats from Iranian forces.
Ultimately, Kasapoglu concludes that controlling either Kharg or Qeshm Islands would have major implications but come with risks of escalation across the Gulf region. “Security. Freedom. Prosperity,” he writes.
