4 ways Iran could strike back if Trump invades Kharg Island

The buildup of U.S. troops in the Middle East has raised speculation of a possible ground attack on Iranian soil, with eyes on the vital oil depot on Kharg Island.

President Trump has railed against Tehran for closing the Strait of Hormuz — a vital shipping lane through which one-fifth of the world’s crude oil passes through — threatening to further escalate the war should the regime not reopen the waterway. 

But any U.S. boots on the ground would likely trigger a major escalation in the conflict and a significant response from Iran, given the island is an economic lifeline for Tehran and handles roughly 90 percent of the country’s crude exports. 

Although weakened after a substantial U.S.-Israeli air campaign that has pounded the country with more than 22,000 bombs and missiles since late February, Iran’s regime still has weapons and tactics at its disposal that could inflict damage on American troops, bases and allies in the Persian Gulf region and further disrupt the global economy, according to former U.S. officials and regional analysts.

Here’s how Tehran could respond:

Direct hits on U.S. troops

The most likely scenario to play out would be a direct attack on U.S. forces should they set foot on Iranian soil. Kharg Island, which sits roughly 20 miles off Iran’s coast, could be easily struck by drones and missiles launched from the mainland. And in all probability, there are still Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces on the island, according to Bryan Clark, senior fellow at the Hudson Institute.

“You’ll see some on the ground resistance, actual full arms fire,” he told The Hill. “I imagine they’ve also booby-trapped it. For U.S. troops go out there I imagine there’s a fair number of IEDs and other surprises waiting for them because the perspective of the Iranians is once the U.S. tries to take it, then their not going to be getting production back anytime soon they might as well create some casualties for the U.S. and a political problem for Trump back home.”

Joe Costa with the Atlantic Council, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank, said Iran can still hit American troops with rockets, drones, mines and fast attack boats. 

“How much capacity they have to do this over time, that........

© The Hill