The Perilous Options in the Strait of Hormuz

One way to squeeze Iran would be to seize Kharg Island. Pipelines from Iran's major oil fields—Ahvaz, Marun, and Gachsaran—feed into the island's long jetties, which sit in waters deep enough to accommodate supertankers. The facilities on Kharg process 90 percent of Iran's crude exports. These exports fund the regime's military operations, proxy networks, and nuclear program. If the United States can seize and control Kharg Island, it could effectively cut off the Iranian economy and force the regime to the negotiating table—or fuel the internal unrest needed for the regime to collapse.The Pentagon appears to be giving the President...