Iran: Tehran bolsters defences on Kharg Island as it braces for a US invasion

Milan, 26 March (LaPresse) – In recent weeks, Iran has laid mines and deployed additional military personnel and air defence systems on Kharg Island, in preparation for a possible US operation aimed at taking control of the island. This is according to CNN, citing sources familiar with US intelligence reports. The Trump administration is considering using US troops to seize the tiny island in the north-eastern Persian Gulf, an economic lifeline for Iran that handles around 90% of the country’s crude oil exports, as leverage against Iran to force it to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, CNN adds. However, some US officials and military experts say that a ground operation of this kind would entail significant risks, including a high number of US casualties. The island has multi-layered defences and in recent weeks the Iranians have transferred additional shoulder-fired surface-to-air missile systems, known as MANPADS, to the island, the sources reported. Iran has also laid traps, including anti-personnel and anti-tank mines, around the island, the sources added, including along the coast where US troops might eventually stage an amphibious landing if President Donald Trump decides to proceed with a ground operation.