Iran shows defiance after Trump’s Kharg warning, threatens wider Gulf attacks
Iran has struck a defiant tone after US President Donald Trump warned that Iran’s oil infrastructure on Kharg Island could be targeted if Tehran continues attacks on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical corridor for global energy supplies.
Trump said US forces had “obliterated” military targets on Kharg Island but spared the oil facilities “for reasons of decency,” adding that he would “immediately reconsider” if Iran, "or anyone else,” interfered with “free and safe passage” through Hormuz.
Within hours, Iranian officials warned that any strike on Iran’s oil infrastructure would trigger retaliation against US-linked oil and energy assets across the region. Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has also vowed to keep Hormuz shut as a pressure tool, according to reports.
Iran’s threats extended beyond US assets on Saturday when Tehran warned residents to evacuate areas around major ports in the United Arab Emirates, including Jebel Ali in Dubai, as well as Khalifa and Fujairah, claiming the US used “ports, docks and hideouts” in the UAE to support strikes.
The escalation came as a missile struck inside the US Embassy compound in Baghdad and debris from an intercepted Iranian drone hit an oil facility in Fujairah, adding to market anxiety about supplies and maritime security.
Trump said the US Navy could begin escorting oil tankers through Hormuz “soon,” as the confrontation increasingly centres on shipping and energy exports.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
