U.S. military bombs Kharg Island, Iran's main oil export hub, Trump says

## Summary
U.S. military bombs Kharg Island, Iran's main oil export hub, Trump says March 14, 2026 5:30 AM ET By NPR Staff This picture, taken a position in northern Israel, shows an Israeli Air Force fighter jet flying over the border area with southern Lebanon on March 13, 2026. Jalaa Marey/AFP via Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Jalaa Marey/AFP via Getty Images President Trump said on Friday the U.S. military had "totally obliterated every MILITARY target in Iran's crown jewel, Kharg Island." Middle East These are the casualties and cost of the war in Iran 2 weeks into the conflict In a Truth Social post Friday evening, Trump added that "for reasons of decency, I have chosen NOT to wipe out the Oil Infrastructure on the island." The president warned that if Iran "or anyone else" interfere with the passage of ships in the Strait of Hormuz, "I will immediately reconsider this decision." Kharg Island sits 15 miles off Iran's coast and is critical to Iran's oil infrastructure and the country's economy. The whole thing is collapsing." Earlier on Friday, the U.S. military had said that all six crew members were killed when a KC-135 refueling aircraft went down in Iraq, raising the American death toll after two weeks of war with Iran. Ibrahim Amro/AFP via Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Ibrahim Amro/AFP via Getty Images Iranian and Lebanese health officials and Israeli authorities reported more than 1,300 people killed in Iran, 773 people in Lebanon and 12 civilians in Israel, as well as two Israeli soldiers killed in Lebanon.

## Article Content
U.S. military bombs Kharg Island, Iran's main oil export hub, Trump says
March 14, 2026
5:30 AM ET
By
NPR Staff
This picture, taken a position in northern Israel, shows an Israeli Air Force fighter jet flying over the border area with southern Lebanon on March 13, 2026.
Jalaa Marey/AFP via Getty Images
hide caption
toggle caption
Jalaa Marey/AFP via Getty Images
President Trump said on Friday the U.S. military had "totally obliterated every MILITARY target in Iran's crown jewel, Kharg Island."
Middle East
These are the casualties and cost of the war in Iran 2 weeks into the conflict
In a
Truth Social post
Friday evening, Trump added that "for reasons of decency, I have chosen NOT to wipe out the Oil Infrastructure on the island." The president warned that if Iran "or anyone else" interfere with the passage of ships in the Strait of Hormuz, "I will immediately reconsider this decision."
Kharg Island sits 15 miles off Iran's coast and is critical to Iran's oil infrastructure and the country's economy. Roughly 90 percent of Iran's export crude oil passes through the island.
On his way to Mar-a-Lago in Florida shortly before his post, Trump told reporters, "The situation in Iran is going very well. A lot of big hits today, a lot of big wins today." Asked how long he thinks the war would last, he said, "I can't tell you that. I mean, I have my own idea, but what good does it do? It will be as long as it's necessary. They've been decimated. The country — their country's in bad shape. The whole thing is collapsing."
Earlier on Friday, the U.S. military had said that all six crew members were killed when a KC-135 refueling aircraft went down in Iraq, raising the American death toll after two weeks of war with Iran.
The news came as President Trump and his defense secretary touted the success of what they call Operation Epic Fury but complained about negative media coverage of the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Friday that joint U.S.-Israeli military strikes have hit more than 15,000 targets and injured the new Iranian supreme leader.
President Trump, in a
post on Truth Social
, said the U.S. is "totally destroying" Iran's regime, militarily and economically.
A woman looks at a building where an apartment was targeted by an Israeli airstrike in the Burj Hammoud area on the northern outskirts of Beirut on March 14, 2026.
Ibrahim Amro/AFP via Getty Images
hide caption
toggle caption
Ibrahim Amro/AFP via Getty Images
Iranian and Lebanese health officials and Israeli authorities reported
more than 1,300 people
killed in Iran, 773 people in Lebanon and 12 civilians in Israel, as well as two Israeli soldiers killed in Lebanon. Wednesday's aircraft crash over Iraq brings the U.S. military death toll to 13, seven of whom were killed by enemy fire. Eight U.S. service members are severely injured, according to the Pentagon.
The humanitarian toll also deepened as the total number of people displaced by the fighting in Iran and Lebanon reached into the millions.
Here are further updates about the conflict.
U.S. casualties rise and additional Marines head to Mideast
The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said Friday
all six crew members
died when their refueling aircraft went down over Iraq.
CENTCOM, which oversees the military's Middle East operations, initially reported an unspecified
incident involving two aircraft
Thursday. It said the U.S. KC-135 refueling aircraft was lost in western Iraq, while the other landed safely. It is investigating the circumstances but confirmed the "loss of the aircraft was not due to hostile fire or friendly fire."
That brings the U.S. military death toll to 13, seven of whom were killed by enemy fire, according to the Pentagon.
NPR has also confirmed that an additional 2,200 U.S. Marines are heading to the Middle East.
The 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit based in Okinawa, Japan, aboard the USS Tripoli, an amphibious assault ship, will join an armada of ships taking part in the Iran war, a source told NPR on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly. The source did not specify what role the Marines will play.
The deployment was first
reported by
The Wall Street Journal
.
— NPR's National Security Desk
Officials brace for an end without a deal — and the risk of a "war routine"
A senior official in the region, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss internal deliberations, told NPR they expected the war to last at least another week, and that Israeli leaders increasingly believe the U.S. and Israel will end the war unilaterally, without a negotiated agreement. In such a scenario, the official said, Iran and allied groups, including the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah and Houthi rebels in Yemen, could establish a new normal of intermittent fire at Israel, prompting repeated Israeli retaliation.
The official said that kind of tit-for-tat exchange would leave Israelis living with an intolerable "war r

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## Expert Analysis

### Merits
- The news came as President Trump and his defense secretary touted the success of what they call Operation Epic Fury but complained about negative media coverage of the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran.

### Areas for Consideration
- The deployment was first reported by The Wall Street Journal . — NPR's National Security Desk Officials brace for an end without a deal — and the risk of a "war routine" A senior official in the region, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss internal deliberations, told NPR they expected the war to last at least another week, and that Israeli leaders increasingly believe the U.S. and Israel will end the war unilaterally, without a negotiated agreement.

### Implications
- Jalaa Marey/AFP via Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Jalaa Marey/AFP via Getty Images President Trump said on Friday the U.S. military had "totally obliterated every MILITARY target in Iran's crown jewel, Kharg Island." Middle East These are the casualties and cost of the war in Iran 2 weeks into the conflict In a Truth Social post Friday evening, Trump added that "for reasons of decency, I have chosen NOT to wipe out the Oil Infrastructure on the island." The president warned that if Iran "or anyone else" interfere with the passage of ships in the Strait of Hormuz, "I will immediately reconsider this decision." Kharg Island sits 15 miles off Iran's coast and is critical to Iran's oil infrastructure and the country's economy.
- It will be as long as it's necessary.
- The 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit based in Okinawa, Japan, aboard the USS Tripoli, an amphibious assault ship, will join an armada of ships taking part in the Iran war, a source told NPR on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.
- The source did not specify what role the Marines will play.

### Expert Commentary
This article covers iran, war, military topics. Notable strengths include discussion of iran. Areas of concern are also raised. Readability: Flesch-Kincaid grade 0.0. Word count: 909.