Iran war enters week 3. US 'Obliterates' Kharg island assets, and US President Donald Trump claims 'Way Ahead of Schedule' amid rising oil chaos. US-Israel forces hammer Iran, strikes on Tehran, missile sites, and naval forces; meanwhile, Tehran vows to keep Hormuz closed as global energy crisis deepens. Trump demands unconditional surrender, but Iran hits back strongly at Gulf allies and Israel while new supreme leader rallies defiance.
After entering into third week, conflict has escalated into open warfare with no end in sight. Embattled US forces carried out significant strikes on Kharg Island—which is Iran's leading oil export facility, accounting for approximately 90% of its crude—targeting military installations and missile sites and associated assets, while sparing their skeletal infrastructure; Trump would characterize the raids as some of the largest in regional history, insisting all military targets were “totally obliterated”.
US Strikes on Kharg Island
US forces directed by President Trump carried out large scale bombing raids against military sites on Kharg Island, the terminal that ships about ninety percent of Iran's crude oil. Trump called the operation one of the most powerful air attacks ever seen in the Middle East and asserted that every military objective was "obliterated" while oil installations were left untouched. He added that if Iran keeps interfering with traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, oil facilities will become targets.
Ongoing Escalation and Mutual
The exchange of fire continues - iran answered with missiles plus drones and asserts that it hit the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, a claim that US officials reject. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth labelled Iran's moves "desperate". Trump said the United States is "way ahead of schedule" but also that Iran has been "decimated" but he noted the war will go on "as long as necessary" and will not finish soon.
Regional and Economic Impact
Iran's harassment of vessels in the Strait of Hormuz has obstructed a waterway that carries roughly one fifth of world oil supply, triggering severe price swings as well as what analysts describe as the largest single disruption to oil deliveries on record. The fighting has spread to US bases across the region, missile interceptions above Gulf countries like Qatar and events including the crash of a US military aircraft in Iraq. Tehran has experienced power cuts or explosions, while civilians gather in rallies.
Nuclear and Leadership Dimensions
The war started with US/Israeli strikes that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on February 28 and hit nuclear/missile sites. Iran has a new leadership structure (which includes Mojtaba Khamenei in a key role), and fears remain about Iran’s nascent nuclear program, with reports of protected stockpiles of enriched uranium. Preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons has been one of Trump’s key goals.
Broader Rhetoric and Outlook
President Trump then noted that the US has dominance, and an effective Iranian defense is not even possible. Analysts are observing cracks that could move us toward economic warfare (e.g., threats of oil), but the fighting risks prolonged regional instability, increased global energy prices and there is no off-ramp yet. There are hardline voices across both camps: Iraq’s Iran-aligned militia groups warn of no surrender, just as the US has warned intensified operations. This is a fast-moving situation with heavy fog of war — claims from both sides frequently contradict each other, and independent verification lags. Oil markets remain highly sensitive to any further Strait of Hormuz disruptions.