Iran has significantly reinforced its defenses around Kharg Island, a critical oil export hub handling approximately 90% of the country's crude shipments, in anticipation of a potential U.S. military operation to seize the strategic site, according to reporting cited by ZeroHedge sourcing CNN. The Trump administration has reportedly explored the option of deploying U.S. forces to take control of the island as leverage to pressure Iran into reopening the Strait of Hormuz. According to the report, Iran has responded by deploying additional air defense systems including portable missiles and planting mines along likely landing zones. Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf warned that any attempt to occupy Iranian territory would prompt retaliation against critical regional infrastructure and stated that U.S. troop movements are under active surveillance. Retired Admiral James Stavridis issued a stark caution regarding the proposed operation. 'I would be very worried about this,' Stavridis said. 'Iranians are clever and ruthless. They will do everything they can to inflict maximum casualties on US forces both on the ships at sea, and especially once ground troops are anywhere in their sovereign territory.' An Israeli source cited in the reporting warned that U.S. troops could face attacks from drones and shoulder-fired missiles during any attempted landing. U.S. forces in the region reportedly include Marine units trained for amphibious assaults and airborne troops preparing to deploy. Despite earlier U.S. strikes that reportedly weakened parts of Iran's defensive capabilities, American forces would still face significant threats from missiles and drones launched from the Iranian mainland. Kharg Island, roughly one-third the size of Manhattan, would require a substantial military operation to capture and hold. Internal debate in Washington has intensified over whether the potential strategic benefits justify the operational risks. Regional allies have urged restraint, warning that a ground assault could result in heavy casualties and trigger broader retaliation across the Gulf. Some analysts have proposed a naval blockade targeting Iran's oil exports as a lower-risk alternative to a ground operation.