In a social media post, Trump said U.S. forces had “totally obliterated every MILITARY target” on the island while deliberately leaving oil export infrastructure intact. Kharg Island, located about 16 miles (26 km) off Iran’s coast, handles roughly 90% of Iran’s oil exports.

The president said the decision not to strike oil facilities could be reconsidered if Iran or other actors interfere with the “Free and Safe Passage of Ships” through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical maritime route through which roughly a fifth of global oil supply moves.

Iran has been attacking vessels in the waterway during the conflict, halting most commercial shipping traffic and intensifying volatility in energy markets.

Kharg Island lies roughly 300 miles (483 km) northwest of the Strait of Hormuz and serves as Iran’s principal crude export terminal. Satellite imagery reviewed by tanker monitoring service TankerTrackers.com showed multiple very large crude carriers loading at the island earlier this week.

Despite escalating military tensions in the Gulf, Iran has continued shipping crude from Kharg. Between Feb. 28, when the conflict began, and Wednesday, exports ranged between 1.1 million and 1.5 million barrels per day.

Other Gulf producers have temporarily halted shipments because of security concerns linked to Iranian attacks on shipping routes.

Speaking to reporters on Friday, Trump declined to provide a timeline for the conflict’s conclusion.

“I can’t tell you that,” the president said. “I mean, I have my own idea, but what good does it do? It’ll be as long as it’s necessary.

”Oil markets have fluctuated sharply in recent days as investors reacted to shifting signals from Washington about the duration and scope of the conflict.

The United States is sending additional military forces to the Middle East as tensions with Iran escalate around the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump also said Iran had “no ability to defend against U.S. attacks,” urging Iranian forces to lay down their arms.

The confrontation has raised concerns among energy analysts and governments about the risk of a prolonged disruption to global oil supply, with the International Energy Agency previously warning that the conflict could trigger one of the largest supply shocks in modern energy markets.

The U.S. Department of Justice said Asif Merchant was found guilty of murder-for-hire and attempting to carry out an act of terrorism transcending national boundaries following a trial in the Brooklyn federal court. Prosecutors said the plot involved efforts to recruit individuals in the United States to target prominent political leaders.Alleged retaliation plotFederal prosecutors said Merchant attempted to organize the assassination plan as retaliation for Washington’s 2020 drone strike that killed Soleimani during Trump’s first term in office. Investigators said Merchant tried to recruit people inside the United States to assist in the plan.

According to court filings, the alleged targets included Trump as well as then-President Joe Biden and former U.S. ambassador and Republican presidential contender Nikki Haley during the 2024 election cycle.The Justice Department said the plot was directed by Iranian authorities and linked to Iran’s elite security force, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The IRGC holds extensive military, intelligence and economic influence within Iran.Defendant’s testimonyMerchant acknowledged during the trial that he had agreed to participate in the plan with members of the Revolutionary Guards but told the court he did so under duress. He testified that he feared for the safety of his family living in Tehran if he refused to cooperate.He said he was not ordered to assassinate a specific individual but claimed his Iranian handler referenced three potential targets during conversations in the Iranian capital.Tehran has previously denied accusations that it orchestrated assassination plots against current or former U.S. officials.Plot disrupted by informantU.S. law enforcement officials said the plan was thwarted before any attack could take place. The Justice Department said a person Merchant contacted in April 2024 to assist with the operation reported the approach to authorities and became a confidential informant.

Authorities subsequently monitored Merchant’s activities before arresting him later in 2024. He pleaded not guilty at the time of his arrest.The trial began last week, days before the United States and Israel launched a major military assault on Iran that has since expanded into one of the region’s largest conflicts in years.Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations has said at least 1,332 Iranian civilians have been killed and thousands wounded in the attacks. Iranian authorities have also reported the deaths of several senior figures, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.The case underscores long-running tensions between Washington and Tehran following the killing of Soleimani, a senior Iranian military commander widely seen as a key architect of Iran’s regional military strategy.