The Trump administration could be getting closer to escalating the war against the Iranian regime as the U.S. and Israel continue airstrikes against military targets.
The White House is currently dealing with Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz as the regime seeks to stop traffic through the waterway. The regime’s actions in the region have disrupted global trade by firing on vessels carrying important resources.
Now, the administration’s eyes appear to be fixed on Kharg Island, as several other reports have suggested over the past week.
From Axios:
Why it matters: President Trump can't end the war, at least on his terms, until he breaks Iran's chokehold on shipping through the strait. In the meantime, global energy prices are surging.
But an operation to take over Kharg Island, which sits 15 miles offshore and processes 90% of Iran's crude oil exports, could put U.S. troops more directly in the line of fire.
Thus, such an operation would only be launched after the U.S. military further degrades Iran's military capacity around the Strait of Hormuz. "We need about a month to weaken the Iranians more with strikes, take the island and then get them by the balls and use it for negotiations," a source with knowledge of the White House thinking said.
Such an operation, if approved, would also require more troops. Three different Marine units are on their way to the region. The White House and the Pentagon are considering sending even more troops soon, a U.S. official said.
What they're saying: "He wants Hormuz open. If he has to take Kharg Island to make it happen, that's going to happen. If he decides to have a coastal invasion, that's going to happen. But that decision hasn't been made," a senior administration official told Axios.
Lindsey Graham: Mr. President, take Kharg Island, this war is over.
— Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) March 18, 2026
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Another senior official told Axios that the U.S. has “always had boots on the ground in conflicts under every president, including Trump” but that “the president is going to do what’s right.”
Sen. Lindsey Graham during a recent interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity urged the president to take over Kharg Island, which houses the bulk of Iran’s oil and other resources.
However, taking the island might not necessarily force the regime to come to a peace agreement. Rear Admiral Mark Montgomery said that taking the island, which would require ground troops, could place soldiers in danger and that the U.S. would still not have access to Iran’s oil. He said if this invasion happens, “they’re going to turn off the spigot on the other end” because “It’s not like we control their oil production.”
The United States and Israel have ramped up their joint military campaign against Iran over the past few days. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced on Thursday that “to date, we’ve struck over 7,000 targets across Iran and its military infrastructure.”
Iran responded by striking oil and gas facilities in Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.