WASHINGTON — The U.S.-Israel military campaign against Iran entered its 14th day Saturday with a significant escalation as American forces struck Iran's largest oil export hub, global energy markets surged toward crisis levels, and Iran's newly installed supreme leader issued his first public statement vowing to continue attacks on U.S. and Israeli targets.
Trump Orders Kharg Island Strike
President Trump confirmed that U.S. forces had struck military installations on Kharg Island, the Persian Gulf terminal through which roughly 90% of Iran's crude oil exports pass. In a post on Truth Social, Trump said he chose to spare the island's oil infrastructure out of what he described as "decency," but warned he would "immediately reconsider" that decision if Iran or any other party continued to interfere with shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
The island had been notably untouched in the first two weeks of the conflict despite its strategic importance, with analysts having cautioned that striking it could trigger severe economic repercussions globally.
Oil Markets Surge, Russian Sanctions Eased
International Brent crude climbed to nearly $104 per barrel, while U.S. crude surged more than 47% since the start of the conflict — pushing year-to-date gains above 70%. Prices reached their highest point since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
The White House called energy market stabilization a "top priority," with Energy Secretary Chris Wright acknowledging elevated prices would persist in the near term. In a bid to ease the supply crunch, the Trump administration temporarily lifted oil sanctions on Russia — a decision that drew immediate criticism from Ukraine and European allies.
The Strait of Hormuz, through which approximately one-fifth of global oil supplies and one-third of global fertilizers are transported, remained a flashpoint. Iran is reportedly considering allowing a limited number of tankers through the strait, but only if cargo is settled in Chinese yuan rather than U.S. dollars, according to a senior Iranian official cited by CNN. At least 16 vessels have been attacked in the waterway and surrounding Gulf waters since the conflict began, per the United Kingdom's maritime agency.
Iran's New Supreme Leader Speaks
Mojtaba Khamenei, who was appointed supreme leader following the death of his father Ali Khamenei in the opening U.S.-Israeli strikes on February 28, delivered his first public statement Saturday. He warned that Iran's attacks on Israel and U.S. military assets in the region would continue unless all American military bases in the Middle East are shut down. He did not appear publicly in the address.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said he believes the new supreme leader sustained injuries in earlier strikes, describing him as "wounded and likely disfigured." The State Department separately announced a $10 million reward for information on senior Iranian government officials, including Khamenei, with tipsters potentially eligible for resettlement assistance.
Casualties and Military Losses
The human toll of the conflict continued to mount. Iran's ambassador to the United Nations put the death toll inside Iran at a minimum of 1,300, while the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency reported at least 1,858 deaths. In Lebanon, Israeli strikes have killed at least 773 people since the campaign began, including more than 100 children.
All six crew members of a U.S. Air Force aerial refueling aircraft were killed when the plane crashed in western Iraq. The military confirmed the incident was not the result of hostile or friendly fire. Separately, a French soldier was killed by an Iranian drone strike in Iraq's Kurdistan region — marking the first French combat fatality of the war.
Troop Buildup and Congressional Pressure
Approximately 5,000 additional U.S. Marines and sailors are being deployed to the Middle East as the Pentagon scales up its regional presence. On the domestic front, more than 250 American organizations signed a letter urging Congress to cut off war funding, citing the estimated $11.3 billion spent in just the first six days of conflict. A Senate committee chairman announced plans for a public oversight hearing with senior Defense Department officials.
When asked by reporters how long the war would last, Trump said he would know when it was over "when I feel it in my bones."
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