Washington: President Donald Trump has released dramatic footage of what he described as one of the "most powerful bombing raids in the history of the Middle East," targeting Iran’s strategic Kharg Island. The strike, executed by US Central Command (CENTCOM), has reportedly "obliterated" every military installation on the island, which serves as the lifeline for 90% of Iran’s crude oil exports.

While the military targets were levelled, Trump issued a chilling ultimatum regarding the island’s massive oil infrastructure, which remains standing, for now.

In a statement shared alongside the bombing video on social media, President Trump clarified that he deliberately spared the island's oil terminals to avoid total economic collapse, citing "reasons of decency." However, he tied the survival of these facilities directly to the Strait of Hormuz.

"I have chosen NOT to wipe out the Oil Infrastructure on the Island. 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."

Kharg Island is a tiny territory, roughly one-third the size of Manhattan, located 30 kilometers off the Iranian mainland. Despite its size, its economic weight is immense.

With the Strait of Hormuz effectively closed by Iranian retaliatory strikes, global maritime traffic has ground to a halt. This has sent US gas prices soaring, creating a domestic political challenge for the Trump administration.

To counter this, Trump announced on Friday that the US Navy would begin escorting oil tankers through the straits "very soon." The goal is to restore the flow of a fifth of the world’s crude oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) that normally transits this narrow waterway.

Experts warn that any further move against Kharg's oil infrastructure would have "swift and permanent" repercussions for the global economy.

As the war enters its third week, the fate of the global energy market now hangs on the "free and safe passage" of ships through a 21-mile wide stretch of water.