Trump Suggests Seizing Iran's Kharg Island as US-Israeli War Enters Fifth Week

Donald Trump raised the prospect of American forces seizing Kharg Island, Iran's main oil export hub, in an interview published Monday by the Financial Times, as the US-Israeli war on Iran entered its fifth week.

„To be honest with you, what I like most is to take the oil in Iran, but some stupid people in the US say: 'Why are you doing this?' But they are stupid people.” — Donald Trump via Financial Times

Trump did not rule out a military seizure of the island, telling the newspaper: "Maybe we take Kharg Island, maybe we don't. We have a lot of options. It would also mean we had to be there for a while." Asked about Iranian defenses on the island, he said he did not believe they existed and that US forces could take it "very easily." The remarks came as Brent crude futures surpassed 116 (USD per barrel) — Brent crude price on Monday morning in Asia on Monday morning in Asian trading, reflecting a rise of more than 50% since the start of the conflict. Trump compared the potential move to the situation in Venezuela, where the United States intends to control the oil industry for an indefinite period following the removal of Nicolás Maduro in January 2026.

Pentagon deploys 10,000 troops as ground plans advance The Pentagon has ordered the deployment of approximately 10,000 soldiers trained for the seizure and securing of territory, according to reporting by the Financial Times cited across multiple outlets. Around 3,500 soldiers arrived in the region on Friday, including approximately 2,200 Marines, with another 2,200 Marines reported to be en route. Thousands of soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division have also been ordered to the region. The Washington Post reported over the weekend that the Pentagon had drawn up advanced plans for a ground offensive lasting several weeks, including operations by special forces and conventional ground troops on Kharg Island and at coastal locations near the Strait of Hormuz. The newspaper, citing unnamed US officials, said a full invasion was not part of the planning. The conflict expanded in recent days when an attack on an air base in Saudi Arabia on Friday injured 12 US soldiers and damaged a US E-3 Sentry surveillance aircraft worth $270 million, according to multiple reports.

Trump claims regime change, sets April 7 deadline for deal Trump declared on Sunday, speaking to journalists aboard Air Force One, that the war had already produced a "regime change" in Tehran. He said his administration was now dealing with "a completely different group of people" in the Iranian leadership, pointing to the deaths of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and other officials in the initial strikes on February 28, 2026. Ali Khamenei was succeeded by his son Mojtaba Khamenei, who was appointed Supreme Leader in March 2026. Trump set a deadline of April 7 at 2:00 a.m. Central European Time for Iran to accept an agreement ending the conflict, warning that US strikes on Iran's energy sector would follow if no deal was reached. He told the Financial Times that the US had already struck approximately 13,000 targets and estimated around 3,000 targets remained. Despite the military pressure, Trump expressed confidence that a deal was close.

„I think we will make a deal with them, I am almost sure.” — Donald Trump via AP News

He also said Washington and Tehran had met "directly and indirectly" and described the new Iranian leaders as "very reasonable."

Iran allows 20 tankers through Hormuz as talks advance via Pakistan Iran agreed to allow 20 oil tankers to pass through the Strait of Hormuz starting Monday morning, Trump said, describing the move as "a sign of respect." Pakistan, acting as an intermediary between Washington and Tehran, said it was preparing to host "meaningful talks" in the coming days aimed at ending the conflict. Trump said indirect negotiations via Pakistani envoys were progressing well, though he added a note of caution: "We still have about 3,000 targets left — we have bombed 13,000 targets — and a few thousand more targets ahead of us. An agreement could come about pretty quickly." Yemen's Houthi rebels launched a ballistic missile at Israel over the weekend, threatening a further phase of escalation that analysts warned could deepen the global energy crisis. Most Americans oppose the war and further military escalation, according to reporting by The Guardian, which noted that a prolonged conflict could damage Trump's already low approval ratings ahead of the November congressional midterm elections.

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