During the bombing of Iran, Americans do not touch a small island — the main oil artery. Why?

Kharg Island. Photo: Gallo Images / Orbital Horizon / Copernicus Sentinel Data 2024

Kharg Island, only a few kilometers long and located approximately 25 km off the coast of Iran, has served as the country's main crude oil export terminal since the 1960s (when it was built by the American oil company Amoco).

Its importance to Tehran cannot be overstated: because much of the Iranian coastline is too shallow for large vessels, nine out of ten barrels of oil the country sells abroad are shipped from Kharg. Essentially, without this facility, capable of processing up to 7 million barrels per day, the Iranian economy would simply collapse.

Despite its obvious strategic importance and the complete defenselessness of its infrastructure (dozens of oil storage tanks, long jetties for loading supertankers, residential settlements for workers, and a small runway are clearly visible), Kharg remains outside the line of fire. Underwater pipelines connect the terminal to some of Iran's largest oil fields.

In the 1980s, during the Iran-Iraq War, the island was subjected to intense bombing. However, now, as Israel strikes fuel depots in Tehran and Iran attacks energy facilities of its neighbors, the terminal on the island continues to operate as usual.

Tanker tracking platform data indicate that several supertankers have loaded there in the past week. Although full confirmation is complicated by the use of false identification signals, analysts suggest that last Friday evening one crude oil supertanker passed through the Strait of Hormuz, which remains blocked to other vessels due to military operations.

Павялічыць

Oil terminal on Kharg Island. Photo: Fatemeh Bahrami / Anadolu Agency / Getty Images

Such exceptional untouchability is explained by Washington's long-standing "red line." This facility was also carefully avoided during last year's 12-day war between Israel and Iran.

The American strategy is based on the understanding that the destruction of Kharg would cause irreversible escalation. In response, Iran could launch large-scale attacks on the oil infrastructure of all Persian Gulf states, which would provoke chaos in global energy markets and a sharp jump in fuel prices. In addition, China — the main buyer of Iranian oil — is an important factor. Halting supplies could seriously damage US relations with Beijing.

However, there is also a deeper, political calculation. Analysts and former American officials note that the White House does not want to destroy the economic foundation of post-war Iran. If the main goal of the campaign is regime change, then the complete destruction of the oil industry would make any subsequent government of the country extremely weak and unviable.

In Donald Trump's administration, there are even talks of a "long game," where the ultimate goal is not the destruction of resources, but the transfer of Iranian oil reserves into the hands of forces that will not support terrorism.

Павялічыць

Rows of powerful oil pipelines leading to the tanks at the Kharg Island terminal. Photo: Fatemeh Bahrami / Anadolu Agency / Getty Images

At present, Israeli and American military forces have clearly divided their zones of responsibility: Israel is focused on the central and western regions of Iran, while the country's southern coast and its territorial waters (where Kharg is located) remain under the responsibility of US forces. This allows Washington to contain the conflict within certain limits. For now, only the most radical scenario, in which Gulf countries suffer colossal losses and demand harsh retaliation, could force the allies to cross this line.

According to an FT source familiar with Israeli plans, the bombings are not aimed at "the complete destruction of Iran." The key priority is "to create conditions for a change in political regime."

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