Reports of explosions near Kharg Island have added to growing tensions in the region, although details about what caused the blasts and whether any specific facility was targeted were not immediately clear. Kharg Island is particularly significant because it is a major hub for Iran’s oil exports. Any military activity around the island could therefore raise concerns about disruptions to Iran’s energy shipments and the wider oil market. The reported blasts came hours after Trump renewed his threat against Pickaxe Mountain, a deeply buried and heavily fortified complex near Iran’s Natanz nuclear facility.

The US president said American forces could strike the location soon, signalling that further military action remains under consideration. Pickaxe Mountain, also known as Kuh-e Kolang Gaz La, contains underground tunnel complexes that are considered difficult to target because of their depth and fortified construction. The site has increasingly become a focus of US warnings over Iran’s nuclear programme. Trump, meanwhile, sought to downplay the scale of the broader confrontation with Tehran. Asked about the ongoing fighting, he described it as a “military conflict” and said it was “small potatoes” for the United States. His comments came despite 18 US service members reportedly having been killed during the conflict.

The latest developments come amid renewed military tensions between Washington and Tehran following a period of relative calm. Recent US and Iranian actions around the Strait of Hormuz have heightened concerns about shipping, energy supplies and the possibility of another escalation. With Kharg Island central to Iran’s oil trade and Pickaxe Mountain linked to the country’s sensitive nuclear infrastructure, developments involving either location could have consequences well beyond Iran. Any further strikes could also intensify pressure on diplomatic efforts aimed at preventing the conflict from expanding.