US strikes hit Kharg Island defences as Iran says oil exports intact

US forces struck military targets on Iran’s Kharg Island on April 7, Donya-e-Eqtesad said, as Iranian sources insisted the country’s main oil export hub remained fully operational despite heavy bombardment.

The attacks mark a further escalation in the US–Israel war against Iran that began on February 28, but Tehran moved swiftly to signal continuity in crude flows, seeking to steady jittery energy markets and deter follow-on strikes on economic infrastructure.

A senior US official told Axios that American forces carried out “dozens” of strikes overnight into April 7, hitting bunkers, radar stations and ammunition depots on the island.

Iranian state-linked media confirmed multiple explosions from early morning into the afternoon, while a local source said more than 38 blasts were heard by 13:00 local time.

An informed Iranian source told ILNA that “no oil facilities were targeted”, adding that all units were “fully online” and operating normally. The source said the strikes focused on “military targets and air defences”.

Separate reports indicated that parts of the island’s jetty infrastructure were destroyed in the bombardment, though there was no confirmation that export loading capacity had been materially disrupted.

Kharg Island handles roughly 90% of Iran’s crude exports, making it one of the country’s most critical economic chokepoints. Its exposure in the Persian Gulf, opposite US military positions in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, has long made it a high-value target in any escalation.

US President Donald Trump had repeatedly threatened action against the island in recent days, warning Tehran would “pay a big price” if it failed to meet ceasefire demands and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

The Israeli military said it had also conducted a “wide-scale” wave of strikes on Iranian “infrastructure sites” on April 7, without specifying locations.