US President Donald Trump has claimed on social media that Iran's critical oil export hub, Kharg Island, is being "blown to smithereens" — but provided no supporting details, and no independent evidence has emerged to confirm the assertion. The dramatic claim came alongside an AI-generated video clip and coincided with a confirmed exchange of military strikes between US and Iranian forces.
Trump's Unverified Kharg Island Claim
In a brief post on social media, Trump wrote: "Kharg Island being blown to smithereens!!! President DJT" — nothing more. The video accompanying the post, which depicted dramatic explosions, was identified by software capable of detecting AI-manipulated imagery as most likely synthetically generated. Iranian state media did not immediately respond to the post.
The significance of any genuine attack on Kharg Island would be enormous. Before the war triggered by US and Israeli strikes on 28 February, the island handled approximately 90 per cent of Iran's oil exports. Destroying or disabling it would cause severe disruption to Iran's energy trade and place intense pressure on its already strained economy.
Confirmed US Strike on Larak Island
While the Kharg Island claims remain unverified, the US military separately confirmed it had carried out strikes on Iran's Larak Island, located in the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz shipping lane. It was described as the first US strike on Iranian territory in approximately a month.
US Central Command said in an official statement that forces had taken "limited, precise action against IRGC minelaying forces posing an imminent threat in the Strait of Hormuz." The strikes were framed as a response to Iran's alleged attempt to lay more sea mines in the strait — just days after Washington had announced it completed clearing explosives from the waterway.
Iran acknowledged the attack, saying it killed and wounded several soldiers and civilians, and vowed that the strike would be met with "response and punishment."
Iran Retaliates With Missile and Drone Strikes
Iran's Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) moved swiftly to retaliate. The IRGC said it struck two US military air bases in Jordan with ballistic missiles, claiming to have caused "heavy damage." Jordan's army confirmed it had intercepted eight incoming missiles, though it did not specify their origin.
Iran also claimed it targeted US military personnel at an air base in the United Arab Emirates and shot down a US drone over the Strait of Hormuz. The IRGC described its retaliatory action as a response to what it called "US-Zionist aerial aggression."
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian issued a statement through state television saying his country was not seeking war but would "deliver a decisive response to the aggressors." He made the remarks before departing for a summit in Kyrgyzstan, where he was set to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping as part of a bloc positioning itself as a counterweight to Western influence.
A Six-Month War at a Dangerous Crossroads
The latest flare-up comes as the US-Iran conflict passes the six-month mark, at a moment when hostilities had appeared to be winding down. In recent weeks, the Trump administration had been shifting focus toward "economic warfare" rather than direct military action against Iran.
The Strait of Hormuz remains a central flashpoint. Before the war began, roughly one-fifth of global oil supplies passed through the waterway. Iran has effectively blocked the strait, compounding pressure on international energy markets.
The rapidly evolving situation follows a pattern of escalation and fragile pauses. For background on how the current crisis developed, see our earlier coverage on Trump declaring the Iran ceasefire over as strikes escalated across the Gulf region, and the ceasefire negotiations and the Strait of Hormuz standoff.
