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Explosions were reported near Kharg Island, Iran’s major oil hub in the Gulf, on Saturday, according to Iranian media, days after renewed fighting broke out with the United States in the region.
Fars news agency said its correspondent heard several blasts but saw no visible smoke. Meanwhile, SNN news agency claimed that an Iranian tanker had been targeted by the United States near the island.
Kharg Island, located in the Gulf, serves as a major oil export terminal for Iran. The reports emerged amid heightened regional tensions, although the circumstances surrounding the explosions remained unclear.
Iranian authorities had not immediately confirmed the reported explosions or the claim that an Iranian tanker may have been targeted.
Third round of strikes on Kharg since war broke out
This is the third time Kharg Island has been targeted since the war between the US and Iran broke out in February.
The first attack came in March when US President Donald Trump announced that their military had “obliterated” Kharg’s military assets but did not target the island’s oil infrastructure after Tehran blocked the Strait of Hormuz, disrupting global oil and energy supplies through the critical route.
Trump had then warned Iran to reconsider that decision to hit the oil infrastructure if Iran continued to disrupt traffic through Hormuz.
A second wave of strikes happened a month later on April 7 as the US hit Iranian military targets again just after Trump’s “whole civilisation will die tonight” threat.
Importance of Kharg Island for Iran
Kharg Island, a small coral island located about 33 kilometres (21 miles) off Iran’s coast, is the country’s main oil export terminal, handling nearly all of Iran’s crude oil shipments.
Iran has exported 13.7 million barrels of oil till March since the war began. Oil remains a major source of government revenue, with a significant share of Iran’s shipments going to countries such as China.
A strike on Kharg Island carries serious consequences for Iran’s economy and its current government, while potentially complicating the prospects for any government that could eventually replace it.
The island has large oil storage facilities in the south, as well as residential areas for thousands of workers. Gazelles roam around the refineries and oil depots, which make Kharg one of Iran’s most valuable and strategically sensitive assets.
Beyond its oil infrastructure, Kharg Island is also home to a medieval Portuguese fortress and the remains of one of the oldest Christian monasteries in the Persian Gulf.
With inputs from AFP
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