The US has attacked a piece of vital infrastructure in Iran that has so far been untouched by the war.
Donald Trump announced this morning that he had “executed one of the most powerful bombing raids in the history of the Middle East” on Kharg Island.
In a Truth Social post, the US president said he had destroyed every military target on what he described as “Iran’s crown jewel”.
“For reasons of decency, I have chosen NOT to wipe out the Oil Infrastructure on the Island,” he said.
“However, should Iran, or anyone else, do anything to interfere with the Free and Safe Passage of Ships through the Strait of Hormuz, I will immediately reconsider this decision.”
There is no word on casualties from the strike on the tiny island, which has a population of around 8000.
Because access to the island is restricted, it has a nickname locally as Forbidden Island.
Because Iran’s coastline is too shallow for massive tankers, 90 per cent of Iran’s oil is exported via Kharg Island.
Oil is transported from the mainland to the island for supertankers to take out of the country. The terminal is able to load ten supertankers at once.
A military strike on oil infrastructure there would be devastating to the regime’s economy.
Trump also bragged of US military capabilities in his Truth Social post.
“Iran has NO ability to defend anything that we want to attack — There is nothing they can do about it!
“Iran will NEVER have a nuclear weapon, nor will it have the ability to threaten the United States of America, the Middle East or, for that matter, the World!”
He urged Iran’s military to lay down their arms.
Earlier today it was reported that thousands of ground troops are being deployed by the US military to the Middle East.
The Wall Street Journal reports the Pentagon has approved moving an additional 5000 Marines and sailors into the region.
The request for more troops was made by US Central Command and approved by Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth.
The troops of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit are attached to the USS Tripoli, an amphibious assault ship usually based in Japan.
Neither the Pentagon or the White House have confirmed whether the transfer of the ship to the region is coming ahead of a ground invasion of Iran.
But in order for the US to have substantial numbers of troops on the ground from an amphibious invasion, they would need a vessel like this.
The 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit specialises in amphibious invasions.
Already there are 50,000 US troops in the region, but Donald Trump has demurred on whether he will order a ground invasion of Iran.