Kharg Island Under Fire: Iran's Oil Lifeline Struck

US forces struck Kharg Island — Iran's primary crude oil export terminal in the Persian Gulf — Vice President JD Vance confirmed on April 7. The strike hit military targets on the island, which handles the vast majority of Iran's crude exports. Within hours, Iran's IRGC issued its starkest warning of the conflict: 'Restraint is over.' The statement threatened to target US and partner infrastructure across the region and warned that regional oil and gas supplies could be disrupted for years. Qatar's foreign ministry warned the situation was approaching an out-of-control spiral. The strike on Kharg Island represents a direct attack on Iran's economic backbone — the terminal is the single most critical node in Iran's oil export infrastructure. Whether or not oil facilities were deliberately targeted, any disruption to Kharg's operations would effectively end Iran's oil exports at a time when Trump has set an 8PM ET deadline on Hormuz reopening.

Key facts

• •Kharg Island is Iran's primary crude oil export hub — strikes by US forces confirmed by VP JD Vance
• •IRGC immediately responded: 'Restraint is over' — threatens years of regional oil and gas disruption
• •Qatar MFA warns situation approaching 'spiral out of control'
• •Trump deadline: 8PM ET April 7 for Hormuz reopening — Kharg strikes come 9 hours before deadline
• •Iran's oil exports face effective cutoff regardless of whether oil terminals were deliberate targets