<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/usa" rel="" target="" title="The US"><span>The US</span></a><span> has attacked a piece of vital infrastructure in </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/iran" rel="" target="" title="Iran"><span>Iran</span></a><span> that has so far been untouched by the war.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/donald-trump" rel="" target="" title="Donald Trump"><span>Donald Trump</span></a><span> announced this morning that he had "executed one of the most powerful bombing raids in the history of the Middle East" on Kharg Island.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In a Truth Social post, the US president said he had destroyed every military target on what he described as "Iran's crown jewel".</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/us-israel-attack-iran-blast-rocks-tehran-after-israel-threatened-to-target-area-where-progovernment-rally-was-being-held/431b482b-b76d-4ead-bf11-13eaf2a99dac"><strong><span>Trump says 'watch what happens to these deranged scumbags today'</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"For reasons of decency, I have chosen NOT to wipe out the Oil Infrastructure on the Island," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"However, should Iran, or anyone else, do anything to interfere with the Free and Safe Passage of Ships through the Strait of Hormuz, I will immediately reconsider this decision."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>There is no word on casualties from the strike on the tiny island, which has a population of around 8000.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/world/kharg-island-military-strike-donald-trump-us-middle-east-iran-war-latest-news/50913729-78f2-4826-badf-459faff01eec" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Because access to the island is restricted, it has a nickname locally as Forbidden Island.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Because Iran's coastline is too shallow for massive tankers, 90 per cent of Iran's oil is exported via Kharg Island.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/us-iran-attacks-who-is-reza-pahlavi-shah-replacement-leader-ayatollah-khamenei-who-will-lead-iran-now/8d5b6cb3-59bf-4345-a66c-56a869ccd420" target="" title="Son of ousted king positions himself to take over in Iran"><strong><span>Son of ousted king positions himself to take over in Iran</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Oil is transported from the mainland to the island for supertankers to take out of the country. The terminal is able to load ten supertankers at once.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A military strike on oil infrastructure there would be devastating to the regime's economy.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Trump also bragged of US military capabilities in his Truth Social post.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Iran has NO ability to defend anything that we want to attack — There is nothing they can do about it! </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Iran will NEVER have a nuclear weapon, nor will it have the ability to threaten the United States of America, the Middle East or, for that matter, the World!"</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He urged Iran's military to lay down their arms.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Earlier today it was reported that thousands of ground troops are being </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/iran-latest-donald-trump-is-ayatollah-mojtaba-khamenei-alive-what-condition-is-he-in-middle-east-news/df7e5635-182d-4633-8c18-46b77b0d9f87"><span>deployed by the US military to the Middle East</span></a><span>.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/donald-trump-taco-wall-street-chickens-out-financial-market-usa-news/a92a416d-13cd-49cf-96ac-62007f7cf5a2"><strong><span>The four-letter acronym that could pull Trump out of Iran</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The Wall Street Journal reports the Pentagon has approved moving an additional 5000 Marines and sailors into the region.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The request for more troops was made by US Central Command and approved by </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/mark-kelly-sues-pete-hegseth-defence-secretary-pentagon-demotion-video/e958c8bd-6321-4ed3-8818-e90043151c76"><span>Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth</span></a><span>.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The troops of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit are attached to the USS Tripoli, an amphibious assault ship usually based in Japan.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Neither the Pentagon or the White House have confirmed whether the transfer of the ship to the region is coming ahead of a </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/iran"><span>ground invasion of Iran</span></a><span>.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But in order for the US to have substantial numbers of troops on the ground from an amphibious invasion, they would need a vessel like this.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit specialises in amphibious invasions.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Already there are 50,000 US troops in the region, but </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/donald-trump"><span>Donald Trump</span></a><span> has demurred on whether he will order a ground invasion of Iran.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/us-deploys-thousands-of-marines-to-middle-east-iran-war-latest-news/9414ce9f-06e4-42a6-8dd2-790aa96c7092" rel="" target="" title="US deploys thousands more ground troops to the Middle East"><strong><span>US deploys thousands more ground troops to the Middle East</span></strong></a><strong></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><em><span>NEVER MISS A STORY:</span></em></strong><span> </span><strong><em><span>Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.</span></em></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><strong><em><span>Download the 9NEWS App here via</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" 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