Trump Considers Deploying Ground Troops to Seize Iran's Kharg Island Amid Plans to Close the Strait

ChainCatcher report, according to Axios, Trump is seeking to form a multinational coalition to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, with plans to announce it later this week. Four sources revealed that if the disruption of oil tanker transit in the Persian Gulf continues, Trump is also considering seizing Iran’s key oil transit hub, Kharg Island—a move that would require U.S. ground forces to be deployed. Iran is currently blocking oil exports from Gulf nations while allowing tankers loaded with Iranian crude to pass freely. On Saturday, Trump stated on Truth Social that the U.S. and multiple countries would send warships to the Persian Gulf and called on China, France, Japan, South Korea, and the UK to participate. On Sunday, aboard Air Force One, he said the U.S. is negotiating with seven countries, some of which have already declined to join. The White House has dubbed the plan the “Hormuz Alliance”; no country has yet publicly committed to joining, but senior officials say they expect nations to announce support this week. Trump spoke with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Sunday to discuss the plan and warned NATO allies that failure to respond could negatively impact NATO’s future. Regarding Kharg Island, located about 15 miles off Iran’s coast, it handles approximately 90% of Iran’s crude oil exports. On Friday, Trump ordered strikes on military facilities on the island but spared its oil infrastructure. U.S. officials say seizing the island would deliver an economic blow to the Iranian regime but could also provoke retaliatory attacks by Iran against oil facilities in Gulf nations.