Donald Trump has announced that American forces unleashed "one of the most powerful bombing raids" in Middle East history on Iran's crucial Kharg Island.
The US President said military installations had been "totally obliterated" on what many Iranians refer to as the "Forbidden Island" due to its secrecy and the heavy protection provided by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Announcing the strikes on his Truth Social platform, Mr Trump wrote: "Moments ago, at my direction, the United States Central Command executed one of the most powerful bombing raids in the history of the Middle East, and totally obliterated every military target in Iran’s crown jewel, Kharg Island.
"Our weapons are the most powerful and sophisticated that the world has ever known but, for reasons of decency, I have chosen NOT to wipe out the oil Infrastructure on the island.
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"However, should Iran, or anyone else, do anything to interfere with the free and safe passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz, I will immediately reconsider this decision.
"During my first term, and currently, I rebuilt our military into the most lethal, powerful, and effective force, by far, anywhere in the world.
"Iran has NO ability to defend anything that we want to attack - there is nothing they can do about it!
"Iran will NEVER have a nuclear weapon, nor will it have the ability to threaten the United States of America, the Middle East or, for that matter, the world!
The President said that Iran now has 'no ability to defend anything'
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"Iran’s military, and all others involved with this terrorist regime, would be wise to lay down their arms, and save what’s left of their country, which isn’t much!"
The small Persian Gulf island, measuring roughly five miles long and up to three miles wide, sits about 17 miles from Iran's northwestern coastline.
It is widely considered the Islamic Republic's most sensitive economic asset and serves as the nerve centre of Tehran's oil export operations, with around 90 per cent of the country's crude shipments flowing through its terminals.
The facilities process nearly 950 million barrels of oil each year.
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Kharg Island is widely considered the Islamic Republic's most sensitive economic asset
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Although the US did not target the island's oil facilities, Mr Trump warned he would "reconsider" if Iran continued to "interfere" with tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz - a move experts say could send oil prices soaring.
JP Morgan cautioned that "a direct strike would immediately halt the bulk of Iran's crude exports, likely triggering severe retaliation in the Strait of Hormuz or against regional energy infrastructure".
Such an attack would effectively remove Iranian oil from international supply chains.
Earlier this week, reports emerged that the US and Israel were both said to be keen to seize the island during the war.
An attack on the island's refineries would effectively remove Iranian oil from international supply chains, experts say
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Senior fellow at the Washington-based Middle East Institute, Mohammed Soliman, told the New York Post such a move would be "pulling the plug on the basic services that keep Iranian society functioning".
He added: "Losing Kharg for even a few weeks will create a security and societal crisis in Iran at the same time. Tehran doesn’t get to choose which one to deal with first."
However, the President downplayed US interest in taking the island by force on Friday, though he did not rule it out.
He told Fox News Radio: “It’s not high on the list, but it’s one of so many different things, and I can change my mind in seconds."
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