Trump says US 'destroyed everything, but oil pipes' in strikes on Iran's Kharg Island

Trump says US attacked Iran’s Kharg Island, destroyed most infrastructure but spared oil facilities to allow future rebuilding.

Updated on: Mar 17, 2026 5:54 AM IST

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United States President Donald Trump on Monday stated that during a past military operation on March 13, the US attacked Iran’s Kharg Island and destroyed nearly all structures on the island, sparing the oil facilities.

Trump says US struck Iran’s Kharg Island, destroyed all military targets but spared oil pipelines. (AP)

“We left the pipes. We didn't want to do that, but we could do that on 5 minutes notice,” Trump said.

Trump said the decision to leave the oil infrastructure intact was strategic, made with the possibility of ‘someday rebuilding Iran’ in mind.

The United States carried out strikes on March 13 on Kharg Island. According to CENTCOM, the overnight operation destroyed naval mine storage sites, missile storage bunkers and several other military installations, with US forces striking more than 90 Iranian military targets on the island while deliberately avoiding oil assets.

Kharg Island, is central to Iran’s oil system since it hosts the main terminal that oversees the country’s oil exports. Roughly 90% of Iran's crude oil exports pass through Kharg Island, which has massive storage facilities and loading jetties capable of handling supertankers.

During the Iran-Iraq War (1980–88), Iraq repeatedly struck Kharg in an attempt to strangle Iran's war economy. Iran managed to keep it partially operational.

In the ongoing US-Israel attacks on Iran, Kharg is among key oil-related assets, another being the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly 20% of the world's traded oil passes.

Earlier, Trump said on Saturday said that the United States may hit Iran’s Kharg Island a few more times “just for fun”, a day after he said American forces had “obliterated” targets on the Islamic Republic’s “crown jewel”.

Also read| 'Just for fun': Trump warns of 'more' US strikes on Iran's Kharg Island

Notably, Iran claimed that the US used “ports, docks and hideouts” in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to carry out strikes on Kharg Island. The authorities also called on people to move away from locations where it said US forces were taking shelter.

US Central Command said on Saturday morning that it carried out “precision strikes” on 90 military targets while “preserving the oil infrastructure.” Later that day, Trump said, “We totally demolished Kharg Island, but we may hit it a few more times just for fun.”

“We’ve totally decimated it,” the president said in an interview with NBC News.

Also read| 'Maybe we shouldn't be there at all': Trump walks back further on Hormuz Strait as US call for help gets cold responses

“Except, as you know, I didn’t do anything having to do with the energy lines, because having to rebuild that would take years,” he added.

Iran’s armed forces said that any strike on the country’s oil and energy infrastructure would lead to attacks on facilities belonging to oil companies working alongside the US in the region, local media reported.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shivya Kanojia
Shivya Kanojia is a journalist at Hindustan Times, where she works in the fast-paced digital news ecosystem with a strong sense of editorial judgement and a clear understanding of what makes a story both important and traffic-driven. An alumna of the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), Shivya brings a thoughtful balance of news value and audience relevance to her work, ensuring stories resonate beyond the immediate headline. Over the course of her three-year journey in the digital news space, Shivya has worked across a wide range of beats, including politics, civic issues, human-interest features and trending news. This diverse exposure has shaped her ability to approach stories with nuance, adaptability and context, whether she is breaking down complex developments or spotlighting everyday narratives that often go unnoticed. She is particularly drawn to human-interest stories, interviews and explainers that offer depth and clarity, aiming to move past surface-level reporting to explore the people, emotions and circumstances behind the news. Prior to joining Hindustan Times, Shivya worked with Firstpost and Times Now, where she covered a broad spectrum of topics and honed her skills in digital journalism . Outside the newsroom, Shivya enjoys discovering new cafés, drawn to good coffee, cosy spaces and unhurried conversations. Shopping is another pastime she cherishes, not always out of necessity, but often guided by instinct and the simple joy of stumbling upon unexpected finds. Above all, she treasures time spent with loved ones, finding meaning in shared laughter, simple moments and memories that linger long after.Read More

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