US President Donald Trump signalled a potential escalation in the Gulf conflict on Monday, openly raising the possibility of seizing Iran’s Kharg Island oil terminal, even as early ceasefire efforts showed tentative progress.
Speaking amid ongoing US and Israeli strikes on Iran, Trump said Tehran had agreed to allow 20 oil tankers to pass through the Strait of Hormuz as “a sign of respect”. At the same time, with roughly 2,500 U.S. Marines already deployed and more on the way, he underscored the range of military options available, saying: “Maybe we take Kharg Island, maybe we don’t. We have a lot of options.”
Diplomatic talks, facilitated in part by Pakistan, continued in the background, though fighting across the region showed little sign of easing.
Iran expanded its campaign against Gulf Arab states, striking a power and desalination plant in Kuwait. The attack killed one worker and injured ten soldiers, while also highlighting the vulnerability of critical infrastructure that supplies both electricity and drinking water.
Elsewhere, regional air defences were repeatedly activated. Saudi Arabia intercepted five missiles targeting its eastern oil-producing region, Bahrain issued a missile alert, and a missile over Dubai was destroyed mid-air, producing a visible fireball.
In Israel, sirens sounded near a key nuclear research facility following repeated targeting in recent days. The Israeli military also confirmed intercepting two drones launched from Yemen, marking the entry of Iranian-backed Houthi forces into the conflict.
Israel intensified its offensive inside Iran, reporting strikes on military infrastructure in Tehran. Iranian media said an airstrike damaged a petrochemicals facility in Tabriz, where emergency crews were deployed to contain a fire.
The conflict extended into Lebanon, where an Indonesian peacekeeper was killed and three others wounded after a projectile exploded near a southern village.
Over the weekend, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said operations would expand further, including a wider ground presence aimed at Iran-linked Hezbollah positions.
– Reporting by news agencies.
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