The Folly of Seizing Kharg Island

In a hypothetical 2026 war with Iran, the United States is considering a plan to seize Kharg Island to counter Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. This island is critically important as it handles roughly 90 percent of Iran's oil exports, and its capture is intended to cripple the Iranian economy. While U.S. Marines are likely capable of taking the island, holding it under constant threat from the mainland would be a monumental challenge. The operation is fraught with strategic risk, as it may not break Iran's will to fight and could provoke further escalation that worsens the global energy crisis.