<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/donald-trump-nato-cowards-middle-east-iran-strait-of-hormuz/0c7ff945-0e3d-4c1f-afb2-ccb5c8e1d5b6" rel="" target="" title="Donald Trump"><span>Donald Trump</span></a><span> is considering using ground troops to occupy </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/kharg-island-military-strike-donald-trump-us-middle-east-iran-war-latest-news/50913729-78f2-4826-badf-459faff01eec" rel="" target="" title="Iran's strategically valuable Kharg Island"><span>Iran's strategically valuable Kharg Island</span></a><span>, according to reports.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.axios.com/2026/03/20/iran-invasion-kharg-island-strait-hormuz" rel="" target="" title="Axios"><span>Axios</span></a><span> cited four sources as saying the Trump Administration was considering a blockade of the island or even landing troops there.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A ground invasion, even of a small island off the coast of mainland </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/iran" rel="" target="" title="Iran"><span>Iran</span></a><span>, would be seen as a major escalation of the war.</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/donald-trump-nato-cowards-middle-east-iran-strait-of-hormuz/0c7ff945-0e3d-4c1f-afb2-ccb5c8e1d5b6" rel="" target="" title="Donald Trump lashes out at NATO 'cowards' for not joining war"><strong><span>Donald Trump lashes out at NATO 'cowards' for not joining war</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>When questioned about this outside the White House, Trump was coy.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I may have a plan, I may not," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It's certainly a place that people are talking about. But I can't tell you that."</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/world/donald-trump-kharg-island-ground-troops-invasion-of-iran-usa-news/765b7562-cb23-436c-b7fa-b8a0acd616ff" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The island had been untouched by the war until last Saturday, when it was targeted by a US airstrike.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Kharg Island has a population of around 8000.</span></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"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/does-australia-have-another-petrol-would-we-run-out-of-fuel-oil-supply-iran-war-news/1f4af25b-2f5a-43d3-8a83-dcc919e12e28" rel="" target="" title="Oil is transported"><span>Oil is transported</span></a><span> 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>Last Saturday, the US president said he had destroyed every military target on what he described as "Iran's crown jewel".</span></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>Occupying the island would dramatically inhibit Iran's capacity to export its oil.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Meanwhile, CBS News reports the Pentagon has made detailed plans for 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><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>But Trump denied the plans in an obtuse way.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"No, I'm not putting troops anywhere," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"If I were, I certainly wouldn't tell you."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Democrats have roundly decried any plans for ground troops being used against Iran.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I cannot overstate what a disastrous decision it would be for President Trump to order American boots on the ground in this illegal war and send US troops to fight and die in Iran," </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/elizabeth-warren" rel="" target="" title="Senator Elizabeth Warren"><span>Senator Elizabeth Warren</span></a><span> said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Overnight Iran's </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/mojtaba-khamenei-son-of-irans-supreme-leader-has-been-named-his-successor-iranian-state-tv-says/2af18a14-e341-4b8d-9e30-e3382d346e47"><span>Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei</span></a><span> issued a statement </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/us-israel-iran-war-israel-hits-tehran-with-airstrikes-on-persian-new-year-as-war-jolts-energy-markets/039a694d-c088-4820-8422-3b860b725352"><span>praising the Iranian people's steadfastness</span></a><span>.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"The enemy has been defeated," Khamenei said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"(Iranians have) dealt him a dizzying blow so that he now starts uttering contradictory words and nonsense."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>US Central Command confirmed today that </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/donald-trump-nato-cowards-middle-east-iran-strait-of-hormuz/0c7ff945-0e3d-4c1f-afb2-ccb5c8e1d5b6" rel="" target="" title="232 American service members"><span>232 American service members</span></a><span> have been injured since the war began three weeks ago.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Of those, ten are seriously wounded, and 207 have been able to return to duty.</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/iran-usa-war-updates-donald-trump-allies-strait-of-hormuz-world-news/c9355a10-7f90-4327-b568-2fb9f8e0f0ec"><strong><span>Trump berates allies as he finds himself alone on Iran war</span></strong></a></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 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