WASHINGTON | U.S. President Donald Trump’s claim that Iran’s Kharg Island was being “blown to smithereens” has been rejected by Iranian officials, while an independent investigation into an earlier strike in southern Iran has raised fresh concerns over the civilian impact of a new U.S. missile.
Trump posted an AI-generated video on Truth Social depicting explosions destroying Kharg Island, Iran’s principal oil export hub, on Sunday. Reuters reported that several hours after the post, there was no evidence that the island had been attacked, and neither the White House nor the U.S. Defense Department immediately confirmed any strike there. Reuters also verified that the video was most likely synthetically generated.
An Iranian official dismissed the video as “laughable,” while Iranian authorities said oil operations on Kharg remained unaffected. The development came amid renewed U.S.-Iran hostilities following U.S. strikes on two Iranian launchers on Larak Island in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran subsequently retaliated with missile attacks on U.S. forces in Jordan, according to Reuters.
Kharg is particularly sensitive because it is the center of Iran’s oil-export infrastructure. Reuters has reported that the island handles about 90% of Iran’s oil shipments. The facility has historically been a critical economic lifeline, making any confirmed attack on it potentially significant for Iran’s economy and global oil markets.
The renewed tensions also coincide with an investigation into an earlier strike in Lamerd, a city in southern Iran. The Associated Press reported Monday that an analysis by conflict monitor Airwars found that three missiles believed to be U.S.-made Precision Strike Missiles, or PrSMs, struck residential areas and a sports complex on February 28, the opening day of the conflict.
According to Airwars, at least 21 civilians were killed, including seven children, while others were injured. Its analysis found that the apparent missile strikes produced a damage radius of at least 170 meters, with civilians killed as far as 50 meters from the estimated points of detonation.
The PrSM is a relatively new U.S. surface-to-surface missile developed by Lockheed Martin for the U.S. Army. The company says it can strike targets more than 400 kilometers away and can be launched from HIMARS and M270 systems. The U.S. military has confirmed that PrSMs were used in combat during the Iran war, but has denied that American forces struck Lamerd.
U.S. Central Command has specifically rejected reports that American forces attacked Lamerd, saying its review found the allegations false. CENTCOM said imagery circulated in connection with the incident appeared to show an Iranian Hoveyzeh cruise missile rather than a PrSM.
Airwars and weapons experts cited by AP, however, said the pattern of damage in Lamerd was consistent with a PrSM. The dispute remains unresolved, underscoring the difficulty of independently establishing responsibility for individual strikes during an active war.
The latest developments come as the conflict enters its sixth month and tensions around the Strait of Hormuz intensify. The waterway is one of the world’s most important oil-shipping routes, and renewed U.S.-Iran fighting has already pushed oil prices higher amid fears of further disruption.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
