Trump weighs strikes on Iran’s oil lifeline after vowing to ‘finish the job’

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Options under consideration include strikes against oil storage tanks, pipelines and loading facilities on Kharg Island, as well as military installations on the island.By World Israel News StaffPresident Donald Trump is considering a new round of military strikes against Iran targeting Kharg Island, the country’s primary oil export hub, as Washington seeks to force Tehran into concessions over its nuclear program and the Strait of Hormuz, according to a report Monday by the UAE-based Erem News.American diplomatic sources close to White House officials told the outlet that Trump has been discussing the option with senior advisers and officials from the Department of Defense and CIA.The potential operation would be aimed at dramatically increasing economic and military pressure on Tehran and forcing the Iranian leadership to soften its negotiating position ahead of the U.S. midterm elections on Nov. 3.Options under consideration reportedly include targeted strikes against oil storage tanks, pipelines and loading facilities on Kharg Island, as well as military installations on the island or other sites inside Iran.Kharg Island is particularly significant because it serves as the main hub for Iranian crude oil exports. Approximately 90% of the country’s oil exports pass through facilities on the island, which has an estimated storage capacity of roughly 30 million barrels.Sources told Erem News that discussions inside the administration are focused on whether striking Iran’s vital energy infrastructure could alter Tehran’s calculations and push it to abandon its preconditions for negotiations.Washington is seeking Iranian concessions particularly regarding its nuclear program and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, according to the report.One American diplomat told the outlet that Trump is considering escalation options capable of inflicting both economic and military pressure on the Iranian regime, with Kharg potentially representing a major turning point because of its importance to Iran’s economy.The report comes just one day after Trump issued a stark warning to Tehran while endorsing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for reelection, declaring that the U.S. and Israel could soon “finish the job” against the Islamic Republic.Trump said Iran had been “systematically destroyed, both Militarily and Financially,” but warned that further action could be coming.“Unless they change their ways, rapidly, we will soon finish the job,” Trump wrote.He then suggested that Netanyahu’s reelection was important to completing the campaign against Iran.“If Israel has the wrong Leader, which would be anyone other than Bibi, America will have to do this work ourselves, and I am not inclined to do so,” Trump wrote.Netanyahu responded to the endorsement by appearing to echo Trump’s language.“Thank you, President Trump, for the tremendous support and our work together,” Netanyahu wrote on X. “Together, we will finish the job!”The comments take on added significance in light of the reported discussions over new U.S. strikes, although Erem News stressed that no final decision to launch an operation has been made.The deliberations represent a potential shift from Trump’s public position earlier this month. On Oct. 8, he said he did not intend to attack Iran before the Nov. 3 midterm elections.Despite those remarks, the report indicates that military action remains on the table as Washington seeks to pressure Tehran into concessions over its nuclear program and the Strait of Hormuz.The post Trump weighs strikes on Iran’s oil lifeline after vowing to ‘finish the job’ appeared first on World Israel News.