Iran lays traps, mines in Kharg Island to protect it from potential US attack: Report
Some allies of President Trump have questioned the necessity of the operation, noting that capturing the island alone would not resolve issues related to the Strait of Hormuz or Iran’s influence on the global energy market.
- Mar 26, 2026,
- Updated Mar 26, 2026 9:33 AM IST
Iran has been preparing for a possible US occupation of Kharg Island by laying traps and deploying additional military personnel and air defences in recent weeks, according to a report that cited sources familiar with US intelligence reports. The island, located in the northeastern Persian Gulf, is a key economic asset for Iran, handling about 90 per cent of the country’s crude exports.
According to a report in CNN, the Trump administration has considered using US troops to seize Kharg Island as leverage to pressure Iran into reopening the Strait of Hormuz. However, US officials and military experts have warned of significant risks involved in such an operation, including the potential for high US casualties due to the island’s layered defences.
Iran has reportedly placed anti-personnel and anti-armor mines around the island, including along shorelines where US forces might attempt an amphibious landing, the report added. The Iranian military has also moved additional shoulder-fired, surface-to-air missile systems known as MANPADs to the area.
Some allies of President Trump have questioned the necessity of the operation, noting that capturing the island alone would not resolve issues related to the Strait of Hormuz or Iran’s influence on the global energy market. US Central Command declined to comment on Iranian activities on Kharg Island.
The US military targeted Kharg Island with strikes on March 13, hitting 90 targets including naval mine storage facilities and missile bunkers. Trump noted that US forces deliberately avoided damaging the island’s oil infrastructure. An Israeli source expressed concern that Iranian drone and missile attacks could cause American casualties if the island were seized.
Kharg Island is about one-third the size of Manhattan, requiring a substantial US landing force for any ground operation. Two Marine Expeditionary Units, specialising in amphibious assaults, have recently deployed to the Middle East, alongside approximately 1,000 soldiers from the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division expected to arrive soon.
US Central Command maintains near-constant surveillance of the island, monitoring areas suspected to contain traps, as per the report. While recent US strikes have degraded some of Iran’s air and sea defences on Kharg, US forces would remain vulnerable to ballistic missile and drone attacks due to the island’s proximity to the Iranian coast.
Iran has been preparing for a possible US occupation of Kharg Island by laying traps and deploying additional military personnel and air defences in recent weeks, according to a report that cited sources familiar with US intelligence reports. The island, located in the northeastern Persian Gulf, is a key economic asset for Iran, handling about 90 per cent of the country’s crude exports.
According to a report in CNN, the Trump administration has considered using US troops to seize Kharg Island as leverage to pressure Iran into reopening the Strait of Hormuz. However, US officials and military experts have warned of significant risks involved in such an operation, including the potential for high US casualties due to the island’s layered defences.
Iran has reportedly placed anti-personnel and anti-armor mines around the island, including along shorelines where US forces might attempt an amphibious landing, the report added. The Iranian military has also moved additional shoulder-fired, surface-to-air missile systems known as MANPADs to the area.
Some allies of President Trump have questioned the necessity of the operation, noting that capturing the island alone would not resolve issues related to the Strait of Hormuz or Iran’s influence on the global energy market. US Central Command declined to comment on Iranian activities on Kharg Island.
The US military targeted Kharg Island with strikes on March 13, hitting 90 targets including naval mine storage facilities and missile bunkers. Trump noted that US forces deliberately avoided damaging the island’s oil infrastructure. An Israeli source expressed concern that Iranian drone and missile attacks could cause American casualties if the island were seized.
Kharg Island is about one-third the size of Manhattan, requiring a substantial US landing force for any ground operation. Two Marine Expeditionary Units, specialising in amphibious assaults, have recently deployed to the Middle East, alongside approximately 1,000 soldiers from the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division expected to arrive soon.
US Central Command maintains near-constant surveillance of the island, monitoring areas suspected to contain traps, as per the report. While recent US strikes have degraded some of Iran’s air and sea defences on Kharg, US forces would remain vulnerable to ballistic missile and drone attacks due to the island’s proximity to the Iranian coast.