Trump says Iran's Kharg Island bombed; US deploying up to 2,500 to Mideast - CNN

[TexasTowelie]

President Donald Trump said tonight the United States bombed “every military target” on Iran’s Kharg Island and threatened to attack the island’s oil infrastructure if Iran continues blocking ships from traversing the Strait of Hormuz.

Meanwhile, the Pentagon is deploying a Marine Expeditionary Unit to the Middle East, a rapid response unit typically comprised of around 2,500 Marines and sailors, three officials familiar with the matter told CNN.

Kharg Island is a five-mile-stretch of land off the Iranian coast that had seemingly been left untouched during the first two weeks of the war with Iran. The critical island handles roughly 90% of the country’s crude exports.

0:00 Trump says U.S. forces destroyed military targets on Iran’s Kharg Island
2:17 Panel discusses Trump's threat to Kharg Island's oil infrastructure
4:06 Ret. Capt. Lawrence Brennan on the deployment of 2,500 marines
5:29 What does the strike on Kharg Island mean to the Iranian regime?
7:16 What will the next few days tell us about the campaign's duration?

[mahatmakanejeeves]

1. Attack the oil infrastructure. There's a swell idea. NT

[blue-wave]

2. Yeah, this island is about

500 miles, give or take, from the actual Strait of Hormuz. Why bomb this when we should be attempting to open the strait? Could be intentional misinformation to distract. I guess we'll see.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

3. My (lack of) geography fails me. I'll have to dig up an atlas. Thanks. NT

[blue-wave]

6. Kharg Island is way back into the Persian Gulf. It's close

to the Iraq border.

[gab13by13]

4. Because 90% of Iran's oil goes through that port.

Iran would blow it up themselves before letting it fall into US hands.

[blue-wave]

5. OK, but if the Strait of Hormuz is shut down

and no shipping traffic is moving through it, that means Iran is also not shipping through it. If Iran tried to ship through the strait, the U.S. would likely blow up the Iranian vessel.

Shouldn't the first goal be opening the strait? We can then, in good speed, take care of Kharg Island.

[OC375]

7. You shoot one of ours, we shoot one of yours

But with oil. I think that’s the plan for opening the Strait.

[OC375]

8. Choices

They’re saying if you don’t let it open, we’ll ensure that when it does reopen, you won’t have a need for it anymore. You’re done with oil. That’s my read.