US deploys Marines from Japan as Kharg Island emerges as key flashpoint

The United States is deploying additional troops from its bases in Japan to the Middle East as tensions with Iran intensify.

Washington has sent the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit from Japan to the region, a deployment that is expected to take at least one week. The unit consists of about 2,400 Marines and operates alongside the command ship USS Tripoli, which carries F-35 fighter jets, V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft and helicopters.

Meanwhile, global energy markets remain under pressure. Brent crude closed above $100 a barrel for a second consecutive day, marking its highest closing level in more than three years. US crude futures also ended close to their highest level since July 2022.

Millions of barrels of oil remain stranded in the Persian Gulf, while shipping traffic through the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz has been completely disrupted.

Efforts by the Trump administration and other governments to curb rising energy costs have so far had limited success. Several Asian countries are facing shortages of cooking gas and transport fuel, while petrol prices in the United States have climbed to their highest levels in roughly two years.

According to CNBC, President Donald Trump posted again on his Truth Social platform, claiming that Iran had planned to dominate the Middle East and erase Israel from the map, but that those plans were now “dead”.

Speaking to reporters late on Friday before boarding Air Force One for Florida, Trump said military operations would continue “for as long as necessary.”

When asked how long the conflict might last, he replied: “I can’t tell you. I mean, I have my own picture in my mind. I’m not going to give you a timeline, but we are far ahead of schedule right now.”

When questioned about what he meant by “unconditional surrender”, Trump said: “For me it simply means we are in a position of superiority that nobody has ever seen before.”

Kharg Island: Iran’s oil lifeline

Analysts say the possibility that the United States could move to seize Kharg Island, often described as the lifeline of Iran’s oil exports, represents a major geopolitical and economic risk.

The coral island stretches roughly five miles in length and lies about 15 miles off Iran’s mainland coast in the northern Persian Gulf. Despite nearly two weeks of US- and Israeli-led strikes against Iran, the island has so far remained untouched.

According to Axios, the Trump administration discussed the possibility of seizing the island in early March, citing four sources familiar with the discussions.

White House officials have previously suggested that oil prices could fall sharply once Operation “Epic Fury” ends. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the president was “wisely keeping all options on the table”.

Kharg Island has drawn global attention because it is widely regarded as one of Iran’s most vulnerable economic targets. The island’s export terminal handles roughly 90% of Iran’s crude oil exports and has the capacity to load around 7 million barrels of oil per day.

Revenue from the oil exported through Kharg Island is also believed to be a major source of funding for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). If the United States were to capture the island, it could significantly weaken Iran’s military and financial capabilities.

However, analysts say any attempt to attack or seize the island would likely require a ground operation, something Washington appears reluctant to undertake. Such an attack could also drive already elevated oil prices significantly higher for a prolonged period.

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth previously declined to rule out the possibility of deploying American ground forces into Iran, though he emphasised that the United States would not allow itself to become trapped in a prolonged conflict there.

Meanwhile, the BBC reported that speculation is growing that US forces could attempt to seize Kharg Island at some point. In addition to cutting off Iran’s oil exports, the island could serve as a strategic base for potential strikes against mainland Iran.

Reports in US media that amphibious ships carrying more than 2,000 Marines are now heading towards the Persian Gulf have further fuelled those expectations.

The US Department of Defense has declined to comment on the deployment. However, if confirmed, the additional forces would provide military planners with new operational options in the escalating confrontation.