US President Donald Trump has shared what appears to be an AI-generated video of Iran's Kharg Island being blown up. The video, posted on Trump's Truth Social account, shows the point of view from a military aircraft as structures on Kharg Island are detonated.
The US leader posted the snippet with text that reads: "Kharg Island being blown to smithereens!!!"
Key oil export terminal
Kharg Island, about 25 kilometres off the coast of Iran, is the primary terminal for around 90% of the country's oil exports. An attack on the island would leave global oil markets in disarray.
Just hours earlier, the US hit two Iranian launchers for the first time in weeks, with several reportedly killed and injured. The strikes took place on Iran's Larak island on Sunday, August 30, a US official said. This is the first known US strikes on Iran since late July.
Escalation in the conflict
The attack marks a major escalation in the conflict, which sparked after the US and Israel carried out joint strikes on several key Iranian sites on February 28. Iran retaliated by striking American allies in the Middle East and closing the critical Strait of Hormuz, through which one fifth of global oil passed before the war.
Global oil markets have been turbulent since the war began. Earlier on Sunday, a multinational coalition overseen by the US Navy said commercial traffic through the strait remained at "reduced levels."
Strait incidents and blockade
A monitoring agency run by the British military said an unknown projectile struck a tanker ship on Saturday north of Khasab, Oman, in the strait. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Organization said no casualties or environmental impact had been reported, and cited unspecified military authorities. There was no immediate claim of responsibility.
The US military said that it had redirected 83 commercial vessels and disabled three under its blockade of Iranian ports.
