US UN Ambassador: "Trump Considering Attack on Kharg Island Oil Facilities"

Ambassador Waltz says in CNN interview:

"Trump will not rule out any options"

Oil prices expected to surge if attack occurs

Mike Waltz, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, is speaking at the United Nations Security Council meeting held at the UN Headquarters on the 11th (local time). Photo by AP Yonhap News

Mike Waltz, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, stated on the 15th (local time) that U.S. President Donald Trump is considering an option to attack the oil infrastructure on Kharg Island, Iran's key oil export base. If this scenario materializes, there are projections that international oil prices could surge further.

In an interview with CNN on the same day, Ambassador Waltz, who previously served as the White House National Security Advisor, was asked whether the United States is considering striking Kharg Island's oil facilities. He replied, "President Trump will not rule out any options." Kharg Island serves as Iran’s oil export hub, handling around 90% of the country's total oil exports through its facilities.

He added, "He has so far deliberately targeted only military facilities," and continued, "I certainly believe that if President Trump wants to target Iran's energy infrastructure, he will keep that option open." Previously, on the 13th, President Trump referred to Kharg Island as "Iran's crown jewel," saying that while military targets had been destroyed, the oil infrastructure was left intact "out of decency." However, he warned that if Iran disrupts navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, he would reconsider this stance.

Some analysts suggest that the U.S. airstrike on military facilities on Kharg Island may be a preliminary measure for a potential landing operation by U.S. ground forces to seize the island. U.S. media outlets have also reported that warships carrying U.S. Marines are moving from the Indo-Pacific region to the Middle East.

Satellite photo of the oil terminal on Kharg Island, Iran, taken on February 25 (local time). Photo by Reuters Yonhap News

After the U.S. military struck military targets on Kharg Island, Iran issued its first warning since the outbreak of hostilities that it would attack non-U.S. assets, and the previous day carried out a drone attack targeting an energy facility at the Fujairah port in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Shipping operations at Fujairah port were temporarily halted due to Iran's drone attack but resumed on the 15th.

Market watchers believe that if the United States attacks or seizes Kharg Island's energy infrastructure, it could trigger concerns over disruptions to Middle Eastern oil supplies and cause oil prices to soar again. Brent crude, the international oil price benchmark, exceeded $100 per barrel as soon as Asian markets opened after the weekend closure last week. During intraday trading, prices soared as high as the $119 per barrel range.

Giovanni Staunovo, a commodity analyst at UBS, said, "Oil exports from Kharg Island are continuing, but market participants are waiting for tensions to ease," and added, "With oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz still restricted, the outlook for oil prices remains tilted to the upside."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.