Democracy Dies in Darkness

Trump says U.S. struck Kharg Island, core of Iran’s oil economy

The strikes destroyed more than 90 military targets, including missile facilities, but preserved oil infrastructure, U.S. Central Command said Saturday.

Updated

March 14, 2026 at 11:19 a.m. EDT20 minutes ago

6 min

Make us preferred on Google

A satellite image of Iran’s Kharg Island, which hosts the country’s main crude export terminal, on Feb. 22. (Planet Labs PBC/AFP/Getty Images)

By Cat Zakrzewski

and

Dan Lamothe

President Donald Trump on Friday night announced that the United States had bombed Kharg Island, targeting Iran’s most critical oil terminal in an attack that Tehran has warned would escalate the conflict.

What readers are saying

The comments reflect widespread criticism and concern over President Trump's actions and policies, particularly regarding the situation with Iran. Many commenters express frustration with the administration's handling of foreign policy, suggesting it benefits Russia and oil... Show more

This summary is AI-generated. AI can make mistakes and this summary is not a replacement for reading the comments.

By Cat Zakrzewski

Cat Zakrzewski is a White House reporter for The Washington Post. Send her secure tips on Signal at cqz.17. She previously covered tech policy and was the founding anchor of The Technology 202 newsletter. Before joining The Post in 2018, she was a venture capital reporter for the Wall Street Journal. @Cat_Zakrzewski

By Dan Lamothe

Dan Lamothe joined The Washington Post in 2014 to cover the U.S. military. He has written about the Armed Forces since 2008, traveling extensively, embedding with five branches of service and covering combat in Afghanistan.@danlamothe

Get unlimited access to The Washington Post

Get unlimited access to
The Washington Post