The US is reportedly considering plans to occupy or blockade Iran’s strategically crucial Kharg Island to pressure Tehran to reopen the strait of Hormuz. On Friday, Trump sent out mixed messages about the possibility of the three-week-old war abating. The reports that Washington is considering plans to occupy or blockade Kharg Island come despite earlier suggestions by Trump that he was not leaning towards putting “boots on the ground”. Any attempt physically to occupy Kharg Island would probably entail high risks, exposing American forces there to Iranian drone and rocket fire in a geographically confined space. The Trump administration and its Israeli allies have given contradictory briefings about their intentions in the war.

Source: The Guardian March 20, 2026 19:07 UTC