The Trump administration is weighing plans to occupy or blockade Iran's Kharg Island as part of a broader effort to pressure Tehran into reopening the Strait of Hormuz, Axios reported on Friday, citing four sources familiar with the discussions.
This comes as the White House seeks ways to loosen Iran's grip on one of the world's most critical shipping lanes.
Trump has reportedly concluded that he cannot bring the conflict to an end on his preferred terms unless Iran's ability to disrupt traffic through the strait is reduced.
In the meantime, global energy prices have continued to climb.
Kharg Island, located about 15 miles off Iran's coast, is a key hub for the country's oil industry and handles roughly 90% of its crude oil exports.
Any US operation on the island could put US troops "more directly in the line of fire," the report said.
According to one source, such a move would likely come only after the US military further weakens Iran's capabilities around the Strait of Hormuz.
"We need about a month to weaken the Iranians more with strikes, take the island and then get them by the balls and use it for negotiations," the source said.
Planning for such a scenario would also require additional US troops in the region.
Three Marine units are already en route, and the White House and Pentagon are considering deploying even more forces, according to a US official.
A senior administration official said Trump's priority remains restoring access through the strait.
"He wants Hormuz open. If he has to take Kharg Island to make it happen, that's going to happen. If he decides to have a coastal invasion, that's going to happen. But that decision hasn't been made," the official told Axios.
"We've always had boots on the ground in conflicts under every president, including Trump. I know this is a fixation in the media, and I get the politics, but the president is going to do what's right," a second senior official underscored, stressing that no decision had been reached.
Sen. Tom Cotton argued that any move by Iran to shut the Strait of Hormuz would signal weakness rather than strength, saying Trump had extensive contingency options prepared for such a scenario.
Still, questions remain about whether targeting Kharg Island would achieve Washington's broader objectives.
Although the island is central to Iran's oil export network, some officials and analysts caution that seizing it may not necessarily force Tehran to accept peace on Trump's terms.
Retired Rear Admiral Mark Montgomery told Axios that an operation of that kind could place US troops in significant danger without offering a clear strategic payoff.
"If we seize Kharg Island, they're going to turn off the spigot on the other end. It's not like we control their oil production," he said.
Montgomery said a less risky path appeared more plausible.
In his view, after roughly two more weeks of strikes aimed at weakening Iran's military capabilities, the US would be more likely to deploy destroyers and aircraft into the strait to protect tanker traffic, making a ground assault unnecessary.
