Why these 6 Iranian islands could be crucial to Trump's "final blow" of the war

President Trump is considering a range of options for military escalation with Iran , several of which center around strategic islands in the Persian Gulf. Why it matters: The importance of the islands comes from their proximity to the Strait of Hormuz, a critical energy chokepoint, and in some cases their role in Iran's own oil industry or military defenses. But taking and holding Iranian territory would be far riskier than anything the U.S. has attempted thus far in the war. State of play: The Pentagon is developing military options for a knockout blow to the war, including potential ground and bombing operations, multiple officials and sources familiar tell Axios' Barak Ravid. Options on the table include seizing ships near the Strait of Hormuz or invading Kharg Island , Iran's main oil export hub. Other plans under consideration involve different islands in the Gulf. Reality check: Iran has a say in how the war ends, too. A major U.S. offensive would not necessarily convince Iran to stop the fight, and could deepen the spiral of escalation. Read more below about the islands below. Kharg Satellite view of Kharg Island in the Persian Gulf off Iran's coast on Oct. 3, 2024. Photo: Gallo Images/Orbital Horizon/Copernicus Sentinel Data 2024 Zoom in: Roughly 15 miles off Iran's coast, Kharg Island handles about 90% of the country's crude oil exports. The island contains freshwater resources, which helps sustain its permanent population and major infrastructure. The island has thousands of residents, most of them oil workers. The deep waters around it allow large oil tankers to dock. A direct hit on Kharg could quickly shut down Iran's oil exports, much of which flow to China. Invading and holding the island would put U.S. forces more directly in the line of fire than the ongoing aerial campaign. U.S. officials have also discussed a blockade of the island as leverage to convince Iran to cut a deal. Larak Satellite view of Larak Island in Iran's Hormozgan province at the Strait of Hormuz on Jan. 17, 2026. Photo: Gallo Images/Orbital Horizon/Copernicus Sentinel Data 2026 Larak Island lies at the narrowest point of the Strait of Hormuz and is also a key export point for Iran's oil industry. Iran uses Larak, which has a network of bunkers and attack craft that can destroy cargo ships, to monitor and maintain control over the strait. Seizing Larak could limit Iran's ability to harass ships in the strait and deploy mines, and possibly help the U.S. break Iran's chokehold on traffic through the strait. But the island is also heavily fortified and would be a hard target. Abu Masa, Greater Tunbs, Lesser Tunbs Abu Musa and the Tunbs islands rest near the western entrance to the Strait of Hormuz between Iran and the United Arab Emirates. Though the UAE claims the islands , Iran's military forcefully occupied them in 1971. The islands serve as Iranian outposts equipped with missiles, drones and mine-laying capabilities. The Pentagon has suggested seizing Abu Musa, sources tell Axios. Like the other islands, this move would give the U.S. a strategic hold near the strait and limit Iranian military capabilities there. Speaker of parliament Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf wrote on X on Wednesday that Iranian intelligence suggests "Iran's enemies, with the support of a country in the region, are preparing an operation to occupy one of Iran's islands." Ghalibaf was likely alluding to the UAE and its claim to Abu Musa. "If they take any action, all the vital infrastructure of that regional country will be targeted without limitation by relentless attacks," he added. Qeshm Satellite view of Qeshm Island in Iran's Hormozgan province at the Strait of Hormuz on Jan. 17, 2026. Photo: Gallo Images/Orbital Horizon/Copernicus Sentinel Data 2026 Qeshm is the largest island in the Persian Gulf and sits off Iran's southern coast. The arrow-shaped island, located near the Strait of Hormuz, stores anti-ship missiles, mines, drones and other attack craft in underground tunnels, according to multiple reports . Qeshm was once a tourist paradise due to its natural beauty. The island dominates the area around Hormuz, sometimes described "as a cork in the world's most vital energy transit passage," Al Jazeera reports. State of play: Iran accused the U.S. of attacking a desalination plant on Qeshm in the opening days of the war, disrupting water supplies to local villages. The U.S. denied that. At about 558 square miles, Qeshm would be a massive target, and there have been no signs of a planned operation to occupy it. Go deeper: These 4 strategic locations are shaping the Iran war

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