Smoke is seen rising from the direction of an energy installation in the Gulf emirate of Fujairah on March 14, 2026. Smoke can be seen rising from the direction of a major energy installation in the United Arab Emirates on March 14, in what appears to be the latest attack targeting Gulf petroleum facilities, hours after the US attack on Iran’s Kharg Island.
– | AFP | getty images
US President Donald Trump said he could “take oil to Iran” and seize Iran’s export hub of Kharg island, as hostilities in the Middle East continued for a fifth week.
trump told the Financial Times He said on Sunday that his “priority would be to take the oil”, comparing it to the US military operation in Venezuela earlier this year, where the US effectively seized control of the Latin American country’s oil industry after capturing its leader Nicolas Maduro.
According to this, the Trump administration has considered sending ground troops to Kharg Island. reuters, One of its sources warned that such an operation would be “very risky”. Tehran has the ability to reach the island with missiles and drones.
In the FT interview, Trump said that “My favorite thing is to take oil to Iran but some idiots in America say: ‘Why are you doing that?’ But they are foolish people.”
“Maybe we take Kharg Island, maybe we don’t. We have a lot of options,” Trump said. “It would also mean that we would have to stay there (in Kharg Island) for some time.”
The White House and the US State Department did not immediately respond to CNBC’s requests for comment.
Trump’s comments come as the US-Israeli conflict between Israel and Iran enters its fifth week, with attacks expanding across the region, increasing risks to energy and infrastructure, and sending threats to the region. crude oil Prices are increasing.
Brent crude May futures rose more than 3.2% to $116.12 a barrel during early Asia hours, with the international benchmark heading for a record monthly high. US West Texas Intermediate futures rose 3.4% to $102.96 a barrel.
Washington Post Reports on Saturday night said the Pentagon had been preparing for weeks for a possible ground conflict in Iran as about 3,500 troops arrived in the region on Friday. Thousands of soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division have also been ordered to support the war effort.
Trump said last week that Iranian negotiators were “begging” the US for a deal to end the war, although Iran has denied any direct talks with the US. In his interview with the FT, Trump said that indirect talks between the US and Iran through Pakistani “envoys” were progressing well.
He told reporters on Air Force One en route to Joint Base Andrews on Sunday evening that Tehran allowed 20 oil-laden boats to pass through the Strait of Hormuz “as a sign of respect.”
Asked about a possible ground troop deployment, Trump said there were “a lot of options,” adding that U.S. military achievements against Iran so far were “really tantamount to (a) regime change.”
Seth Krumrich, Global Guardian’s vice president and former U.S. Chief of Staff, Special Operations, at CENTCOM, said potential U.S. ground action could provoke Iranian forces to increase attacks on power infrastructure and desalination plants in the Gulf region.
“We’re probably closer to the middle of this story than the beginning or the end of it,” Krumrich said on CNBC’s “Squawk Box Asia” on Monday.
Critical infrastructure in the area has come under fire, signaling a further escalation of violence. one in social media post On Monday morning, Kuwait said a service building at a power generation and water desalination plant was damaged in an attack on Sunday evening, killing a worker.
The country said the facility was targeted as part of Iranian aggression against Kuwait. According to the Power Ministry, the killed employee was an Indian citizen.
Emergency teams were immediately deployed to contain the damage and maintain operations, while officials coordinated with security agencies to secure the site. According to the statement, officials said Kuwait’s electricity and water systems remain stable and contingency plans have been activated to ensure continued supply.
The Gulf’s desalination plants supply most of the drinking water in the region, making them critical infrastructure and a sensitive target in any stress.
Iran-aligned Houthi forces also entered the conflict and fired missiles toward Israel. “Yemeni armed forces have launched the first military operation using a barrage of ballistic missiles targeting sensitive Israeli military sites,” Houthi spokesman Yahya Sari said in a statement. Post On X.
— CNBC’s Li Ying Shan and Azhar Sukri contributed to this report.