“Less than 20 miles off Iran’s shallow coastline sits a rare island made of hard coral — a natural, geological platform rising from the Persian Gulf that’s perfect for one thing: exporting oil.”

“Kharg Island, a crucial outcrop 5 miles long that might be about to become central to the Iran war.”

“The United States and Israel have killed a host of senior Iranian leaders and bombarded key sites across the country.”

“Iran has attacked Israel and its Gulf neighbors and blockaded the vital Strait of Hormuz trade route, delivering a global economic shock that has sent energy prices surging and threatened food shortages for billions.”

“President Donald Trump has talked up negotiations with Iran, which in turn has disputed any progress.”

“Trump is also sending thousands more American troops to the Middle East, drawing suggestions from Tehran that Trump is buying time for a ground operation.”

“Trump’s team members themselves have refused to rule out seizing Kharg Island, which accounts for more than 90% of Iran’s oil exports.”

“The U.S. has already bombed more than 90 targets on Kharg, including air defenses, a naval base and mine storage facilities.”

“Because most of Iran’s coastline is too shallow for supertankers, the country pumps almost all of its crude production through underwater pipelines to Kharg.”

“A short film by regime-controlled broadcaster Press TV last year showed groves of palm trees growing among freshwater springs, a rarity for Gulf islands.”

“Regardless of Trump's intent, what's clear is that extra U.S. personnel are headed to the region. This includes 1,000 paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division and 5,000 Marines.”

“Archeological sites include 2,400-year-old wall carvings and rock-cut tombs, and there is an 18th-century fort built by the Dutch East India Company.”

“Access is restricted, earning it the nickname 'Forbidden Island,' but satellite and aerial images show rows of oil storage tanks, flames gushing from flare stacks, a web of pipelines and vast piers that allow supertankers to transport oil around the world — mostly to China.”

“Kharg Island is less than 20 miles from the mainland, well within rocket, artillery and drone range, according to Emery at University College London. It is also hundreds of miles inside the Persian Gulf, meaning any U.S. force would take at least a day to reach it and 'providing time for Iran to mine surrounding waters and prepare defenses,' he said.”

“He has had designs on it since at least 1988, when he told The Guardian newspaper that “I’d do a number on Kharg Island; I’d go in and take it” if Iran fired at American troops or ships.”

“Kharg Island is a lifeline for Iran’s economy,”

“Even if the U.S. did capture the island, 'holding the position would be extremely challenging, with resupply operations exposed to persistent drone, missile and artillery fire,' he said. Ultimately, he believes, it 'would be an absolutely disastrous decision that would ensure the conflict lasted many months.'”

“In the 1950s, the island was developed into the sprawling oil facility that exists today. It's home to at least 8,000 residents, many of them oil workers.”

“Trump himself has downplayed Iran's potential defenses. “I call it ‘the little oil island’ that sits there, so totally unprotected,” he said last week.”