“Totally obliterated every MILITARY target in Iran,” Trump says after huge strike
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said the United States carried out one of the largest airstrikes of the current war with Iran on Friday, claiming U.S. forces “totally obliterated every military target” on Kharg Island, a strategic Iranian facility in the Persian Gulf.
In a statement posted by the White House on social media, Trump said U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) had executed “one of the most powerful bombing raids in the history of the Middle East,” targeting Iranian military infrastructure on the island. The strike, he said, destroyed every military installation there while intentionally leaving oil infrastructure untouched.
“Moments ago, at my direction, the United States Central Command executed one of the most powerful bombing raids in the History of the Middle East, and totally obliterated every MILITARY target in Iran’s crown jewel, Kharg Island… Iran has NO ability to defend anything that we… pic.twitter.com/2iEzCOyA3P
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) March 13, 2026
Kharg Island is one of the most important economic sites in Iran. The island hosts Iran’s primary oil export terminal and is responsible for a large share of the country’s crude shipments to global markets. Because of that role, analysts say attacks there could affect global oil prices and shipping routes across the Persian Gulf.
The strike appears to be part of the rapidly escalating war between the United States, Israel and Iran that began earlier this year. Since late February, the U.S. and Israel have carried out waves of airstrikes against Iranian missile bases, command centers and other military sites as part of a broader campaign targeting Iran’s military capabilities.
The latest operation also comes amid tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical shipping lanes for oil. Trump warned that if Iran interferes with commercial shipping through the strait, the United States could expand its strikes to include oil infrastructure on Kharg Island.
The U.S. has also moved additional forces into the region as the conflict grows. Defense officials said roughly 2,500 Marines and an amphibious assault ship have been deployed to the Middle East in recent days, reinforcing American military presence as the war approaches its second week.
Iran has responded to earlier strikes with missile and drone attacks on U.S. and allied targets across the region, including attacks on military facilities in Gulf states and shipping routes. The escalating exchange has already resulted in thousands of casualties across the region and raised fears of a wider regional conflict.
Details about the Kharg Island operation itself remain limited, and U.S. Central Command has not yet released a full operational briefing describing the weapons used or the exact number of targets destroyed. But the strike marks one of the most aggressive U.S. attacks of the war so far and signals that Washington may be expanding its military campaign deeper into Iran’s strategic infrastructure.
