Sources informed about U.S. intelligence reports have revealed to CNN that Iran, in recent weeks, has set up ambushes and deployed additional military forces and air defenses on Kharg Island in preparation for a possible U.S. operation to take control of the island.

Axios has reported that the Pentagon is preparing to deliver a major ‘knockout blow’ in its war with Iran, which may include the use of ground forces and large‑scale bombing campaigns against Iran.

Trump's options

The site mentioned that among President Trump’s options for a knockout blow against Iran is the seizure of islands such as Kharg, Larak, and Abu Musa, and the blocking or seizure of Iranian oil tankers.

The website quoted American officials saying that the Pentagon’s ground plan would go deep into Iran to secure uranium.

Earlier, sources told CNN that the Trump administration is considering using American forces to seize this small island in the northeastern Persian Gulf — an economic lifeline for Iran that exports about 90 % of its crude oil from there — as a way to pressure Iran into reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

Kharg Island

However, American officials and military experts warn that such a ground operation carries significant risks, including a high number of American casualties.

Sources added that the island has multiple layers of fortifications, and that in recent weeks the Iranians have deployed shoulder-fired surface-to-air missile systems (MANPADS) there, as well as planted anti-personnel and anti-armor mines around the island, including along the coast, where U.S. forces could potentially carry out an amphibious landing if Trump were to launch a ground operation.

A source added that some of the U.S. president’s allies raise serious questions about the feasibility of attempting such an operation, as controlling the island alone would not resolve the issues related to the Strait of Hormuz or Iran’s dominance in the global energy market.

The U.S. military targeted Kharg with airstrikes on March 13, and Central Command reported that 90 targets were hit, including “naval mine storage facilities, missile storage bunkers, and multiple other military sites.”

Trump announced the attack, stating that U.S. forces avoided targeting the island’s oil infrastructure.

Israel's concerns

An Israeli source said there are concerns that taking control of Kharg Island could provoke attacks from Iranian drones and shoulder-fired missiles, potentially resulting in the deaths of American soldiers.

he source added, "We hope they do not take this risk and instead bomb the oil fields, but there’s no way to know."

Retired Admiral James Stavridis, former Supreme Allied Commander of NATO and currently a military analyst for CNN, said, "I would be extremely worried about this. The Iranians are smart and ruthless; they will do everything they can to inflict maximum losses on American forces, whether aboard ships at sea or once ground forces reach any part of their sovereign territory."

What do we know about this island? 

The area of Kharg Island is roughly a third the size of Manhattan, meaning the United States would need to deploy a substantial landing force to secure the island if it proceeds with such an operation, according to a source familiar with U.S. military planning for CNN. The island is located at the far northern end of the Persian Gulf, away from the Strait of Hormuz but near Iranian oil facilities.

Sources stated that these two units are the most likely to participate in the operation to retake Kharg Island, with about a thousand American soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division expected to deploy to the region in the coming days.

Another source familiar with U.S. military planning said that U.S. Central Command is conducting nearly continuous aerial surveillance of the island, allowing the military to detect material and environmental changes in areas that appear to be mined or rigged with explosives.

Stavridis noted that U.S. military strikes on the island have degraded some of its air and naval defenses, including HAWK surface‑to‑air missiles and Oerlikon anti‑aircraft guns.